BREAKING: Edgerrin Cooper commits to Oklahoma
THE SITUATION
Edgerrin Cooper was back in Louisiana for merely minutes before he realized he had already settled on his college decision.
Cooper, a three-star linebacker from Covington (La.) High School, committed to Oklahoma over Oklahoma State and Mississippi State on Friday.
The New Orleans-area prospect is a top-30 prospect in Louisiana and the No. 22-ranked middle linebacker in the Class of 2020, and is deemed one of the building blocks of the new-look defense there in Norman.
IN HIS OWN WORDS
"It's all about the coaching staff -- how they are. The staff explained how I would fit in. We watched my highlights and it matched perfectly to what they do there. It made me notice what I do even better. The gap-shooting they do on defense ... I noticed that."
"A lot of things about Oklahoma stood out. The facilities there, they're amazing. I liked the academics and all that type of stuff."
"The biggest thing is their past, winning bowl games and all the stats that come with it. The bowl games, back-to-back championships, the total people drafted from 2000 up to this year -- it made a big difference. I compared the pros and the cons, and Oklahoma came out wit hit. It was a hard decision for a little bit, but once I broke it down step by step. After that, my choice was easily made."
"I love the position they're gonna put me in. I think Coach (Alex) Grinch is amazing. I've been talking to Coach (Brian) Odum and he's awesome. He's like family. It makes me feel like we're friends because we have a real tight relationship."
"I know Oklahoma wants me to bring the pressure mainly. The plan is to turn this defense around. That's the plan -- to make this defense the best we can."
RIVALS REACTION
Cooper is the highest-rated inside linebacker in The Boot and has all the makings to be a difference-maker on the defensive side of the ball for the Sooners. The 6-foot-2, 212-pounder has 4.6 speed and patrols the sidelines very well.
As a junior in 2018, Cooper amassed 106 tackles, including 13 for loss, to go along with 2.0 sacks, 4.0 quarterback hurries, an interception, 3.0 pass breakups and a forced fumble. He's a force in the run game, pressuring the quarterback and in coverage -- a true three-tool linebacker.
Cooper excels at breaking down and tackling in the open field. He's quick to diagnose plays and explodes off the ball. He's a tackle for loss machine. Cooper also has enough speed to track down running backs as they head toward the edge. He is equally as dynamic chasing after passers and does his best work on designed blitzes.
