RealGM

STRENGTHS: Long, athletic and can really run … outstanding closing speed to chase down the ball from any pursuit angle … rangy and cover s more ground than the average linebacker … astutely reads splits and pre-snap depth to understand how to angle his downhill pursuit … effective slipping and evading blocks in space (see 2023 South Carolina tape) … displays upfield burst and joint bend off the edge to heat up the pocket as a blitzer … long-armed tackler to hug, pull down and finish ballcarriers … fluid movements in coverage to stay within arm’s length of tight ends, backs and some receivers … handles space well (man and zone coverages) and always knows where his help is (tries to model his game after Fred Warner) … experienced at multiple linebacker positions … extensive special-teams background and was a regular on both kick and punt coverages (585 special-teams snaps and 11 tackles in his career) … put together an All-America senior season and led the SEC in tackles for loss.

WEAKNESSES: Takes time to sort out his reads … late to recover after committing to the wrong gap … has elite length but needs to be more efficient with his timing to stack, shed and free himself from blocks … light lower body and needs to continue strengthening his c ore … fast to the ball but will overshoot his angles, creating cutback opportunities for the ball carrier … tends to be overly casual as a tackler in space, which gives runners a chance to make a move … needs to develop his passrush moves when attacking the pocket.

SUMMARY: A two-year starter at Texas A&M, Cooper lined up as a Will linebacker in defensive coordinator DJ Durkin’s 4 -2-5 base scheme, also seeing snaps wide as a nickel or on the defensive line. Although 2023 was a forgettable season for the program, the Aggies’ defense ranked top 10 nationally and Cooper was the catalyst, leading the team in tackles, tackles for loss, sacks and forced fumbles (only prospect in this class who can say that). An above-average athlete for his size, Cooper beelines to the football with outstanding closing burst and aggressive tackling. Though he has elite arm length, he can be better at shooting his hands to escape blocks. Overall, Cooper has some undisciplined tendencies and will run himself out of plays, but he is a fast-flowing linebacker who can run and cover. He has the explosive traits to be a regular on special teams as a rookie and grow into a three -down linebacker role in the NFL.

GRADE: 2nd-3rd Round (No. 46 overall)

Mags FTW wrote:We got a Cooper.

Matches Malone wrote:

Read on Twitter