Derrek Cooper

Physical Profile

Listed between 6-1/210 (On3) and 6-2/205 (247Sports), Cooper carries a tall, dense, broad-shouldered frame that is unusually large for the position while still posting 'bright green speed and explosion scores' per 247Sports. The height is atypical for a featured back and creates a higher pad level he must manage, but the length and core power let him fall forward through contact and absorb arm tackles. The athletic testing profile and two-way defensive background confirm legitimate twitch and closing burst rather than just straight-line size, giving him a frame that can carry 220+ pounds at the college level without sacrificing his second gear.

Play Style

Cooper is a north-south, downhill back who plays with controlled aggression — he attacks the line of scrimmage with tempo, presses the hole, and finishes through contact rather than around it. He generates yards after contact via core strength and leg drive, and his defensive background shows up in his willingness to lower the boom and his comfort working into the alley. He is not a primarily elusive, make-you-miss space back; his value is as a physical hammer with deceptive long speed who wears down defenses and breaks the long one once he clears the second level.

Strengths

• Contact balance and core power — 247Sports specifically notes he 'will use his core power to bounce off tacklers in tight quarters,' and his 9.1 yards-per-carry on 165 senior carries (1,503 yards, 19 TD) reflects an ability to break the first hit and finish runs violently.
• Hole-hitting urgency and tempo — film shows a back who 'hits the hole with urgency,' a decisive one-cut-and-go runner who doesn't dance in the backfield, ideal for a gap/zone downhill scheme.
• Two-way athleticism and physical demeanor — a former safety/linebacker (46 tackles, 4 sacks as a junior) who 'plays with a lot of violence,' translating to elite pass-protection upside, special-teams value, and the football IQ to diagnose fronts.

Areas to Improve

• Pad level and ball security in traffic — at his height he must consistently sink his hips and lower his shoulder to avoid presenting a large strike zone and exposing the ball; refining this is the key to surviving a heavier SEC tackle volume.
• Receiving and route-running polish — his profile is built on rushing production and defensive instincts; to be a true three-down weapon in Sarkisian's offense he must prove he can run a refined route tree and consistently catch out of the backfield rather than just check-downs.

College Projection

Expect early playing time as a true freshman in 2026 — On3 projects he'll 'get some early run' given his physical readiness. Realistically a rotational early-down and short-yardage contributor as a freshman behind the depth chart, with a clear path to the lead-back/RB1 role by his sophomore year. His pass-pro aptitude accelerates the timeline because it earns trust on third downs, which is where most freshman backs get benched.

NFL Outlook

Legitimate early-round draft upside given the rare size-speed combination, contact balance, and three-down skill set that NFL teams covet. If he refines his receiving game and ball security and produces as a featured back at Texas, a Day 1-2 projection is in play; the size/violence profile gives him a high floor as an early-down/short-yardage NFL back even if the receiving role doesn't fully develop. The comparison to a Bijan Robinson lineage at Texas is aspirational but not unreasonable given the physical tools.

Best Fit

A pro-style, downhill power-gap or wide-zone offense that asks the back to read one cut and accelerate — exactly the Steve Sarkisian system he committed to. He thrives in a scheme that uses him on inside-zone, duo, and short-yardage while leveraging his pass protection on third down. He is maximized in a physical, NFL-feeder program (Texas/SEC) that can build him to 220 pounds and feed him 15-20 carries a game rather than a spread, RB-by-committee gadget offense.