The first round of the 2024 NFL Draft has wrapped up, and the draft continues with the second and third rounds on Friday, April 26. No linebackers have been selected yet in this year’s draft, and Texas A&M’s Edgerrin Cooper has a strong argument to be the first to go. Cooper spent four years as an Aggie and finished his career by earning consensus All-American honors in 2023. He recorded over 30 solo tackles in 2021, 2022, and 2023, but truly shone in his final year as an Aggie as he put up eight sacks in one season. He also forced two fumbles and was part of 83 total tackles.
Edgerrin Cooper: Scouting Report
Cooper was a machine for the Texas A&M defense during his collegiate years, and NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein highlights his physical, aggressive approach to tracking and tackling — that Cooper can sometimes overuse to a fault.
Highly physical linebacker with elite top-end speed and a burning desire to get to the football that can lead to some inconsistencies in his play. Cooper is average at diagnosing the run but takes off around traffic on a mission to find the ball-carrier once he sees it. He can be undisciplined playing his run fits and takes unorthodox paths downhill, but he somehow finds ways to slither around blocks and make challenging tackles. Cooper is a punishing hitter/tackler from any spot on the field, but he’s going to overshoot the mark from time to time due to his lack of control in pursuit. He’s a capable quarterback spy, can blitz the pocket and will be an instant hit on special teams, but teams will need to balance the inconsistencies with the passionate run-and-hit mentality.
Mock Draft landing spots
Mel Kiper had Cooper going to the Eagles with the 53rd overall pick in his pre-draft mock, and that could still be a possibility. Zierlen has Cooper mocked to the Panthers with the 39th overall pick, and The Athletic’s Dane Brugler sends him to the Packers at No. 41 overall.