Player Description
Name: Edgerrin Cooper
School: Texas A&M
Position: Linebacker
Class: Junior
Height: 6'2
Weight: 230 lbs
Draft Projection: Late Day 1 to Mid Day 2
Strengths:
Explosive athlete
Exceptional closing speed
Elite-level speed and quickness to make plays in the backfield
High-level acceleration and burst
Scheme versatile - able to play in multiple fronts
Quick and decisive at diagnosing run concepts
Good nose for the ball - excellent at tracking
Hard-hitting defender
High-motor player
Uses his length effectively to shed blocks
Excellent screen recognition
Efficient at moving laterally
Possesses a good arsenal of pass rush moves
Weaknesses:
Cooper's speed has one significant drawback, which is related to missed tackles. Cooper clearly struggles to maintain control over his speed and break down to make tackles in open space. He is open to manipulation by running backs because of this.
In coverage, Cooper has little experience in man coverage and has shown some issues with route recognition in zone. Cooper will need to grow in this aspect in order to be an effective linebacker at the next level.
Functional strength is a concern that he will need to address. Against opposing blockers, Cooper is susceptible to getting anchored due to questionable core strength. He tends to win these types of battles if he gets the jump on them, but he cannot solely rely on this when facing bigger linemen.