Have Iowa and Phil Parker found another defensive back star? Zach Lutmer sure looks like the latest Hawkeye ready to take that leap.
Lutmer made his mark in 2025 and quickly turned himself into one of the Big Ten’s top defenders. Now, with the 2026 season ahead, the buzz around him is only getting louder. That has naturally led to one familiar comparison: Cooper DeJean.
And it’s not hard to see why. DeJean, now an NFL All-Pro, was also a Unanimous All-American and the Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year at Iowa.
The resemblance starts with the basics. Both are Iowa natives.
Both wear single-digit jerseys. DeJean was listed at 6-foot-1 and 207 pounds, while Lutmer is listed at 6-foot and 205 pounds.
Even the eye test makes the comparison easy to understand.
The production lines up, too. In 13 games in 2022, DeJean posted 75 tackles, three tackles for loss, 13 pass breakups, and five interceptions.
Lutmer’s 2025 season came in at 71 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 10 pass breakups, and three interceptions. The numbers don’t just resemble each other - they practically echo.
Still, Lutmer does not have to be DeJean to matter in a big way for Iowa.
DeJean was the classic lockdown corner, the kind of player who erased one side of the field and let Phil Parker build the rest of the defense around that certainty. Lutmer offers something different. He has the coverage ability to work at corner, but he can also slide to safety and play with instincts.
That versatility is where he can really separate himself. Lutmer’s best path may be through Iowa’s CASH role, the hybrid spot that blends slot corner, safety, and even linebacker responsibilities. If he handles that job the way Iowa hopes, Parker can keep his other corners and safeties locked into their own assignments.
So yes, the DeJean comparisons make sense. They’re flattering, and they’re earned. But Lutmer has a chance to become his own kind of Iowa defensive back - not a copy of Cooper DeJean, but the next Zach Lutmer.
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