What a day Cooper had! The ’28 OL found himself right there in the running for MVP of the position. He checked in at 6’3″ 245 lbs, and really put on a show with how athletically gifted he is. That started with a 9′ broad jump, 4.53 shuttle, and a 7.78 L-Drill to go along with a 5.28 laser timed 40.

Positional drills highlighted how natural it is for the sophomore OL to play with knee bend and ankle flexion to keep his pad level low. He fires out of his stance very quickly and has the range to be get out in space and the quickness to be able to work his way to the right leverage and positioning while engaged. Then 1 on 1s was the final stage where he got to put it all together and whoop up on some DL. Cooper did so well moving his feet and reacting to the pass rush of the DL. He did really well using his length and keeping his hands working until he had the inside positioning he wanted. Even at 245 lbs the rising ’28 was able to prove he has the anchor and overall power to set the tone in the trenches. Coaches need to make sure they have this kid apart of their 2028 recruiting boards.

Cooper’s tape gets me very excited for what he could become down the road. He earned a varsity job on an OL that needs to be elite at run blocking for their team to put up points. He thrives in the run game where with his athleticism and OL mentality. At 245 lbs, Cooper is undersized but has learned how to negate that. He fires off the ball quickly and violently. Gets hands on as fast as he can and then uses his feet to keep him in position to stay locked on his man. Cooper’s tape also shows that he has been able to use leverage to move bigger DL and also turn that quick burst into some power. It is also a massive boost that the ’28 OT attacks with that nasty OL mentality where he is looking to play to the whistle and finish his blocks. Big things for Cooper if he continues on his path of development and growth.

Cooper has fit really well into the run heavy Neenah offense. While the ’28 isn’t the biggest at 6’3″ 245 lbs, the OT has learned to open up running lanes at a very consistent rate. First off, the motor is fantastic. Every rep on his highlights you see him pounding his feet into the ground, reworking his hands, and always trying to drive his man to and through the whistle. On top of it, his ability to play low and win the leverage battle makes that high motor even more valuable. Plus we are seeing that he is building on top of a solid base of strength because with the use of leverage we are seeing him move DL on his own and very quickly with double teams. I love the way this kid attacks and as he continues to fill out that frame we should see him become even more dominant and climb the rankings.