Chaminade-Madonna Prep (Florida) five-star athlete Derrek Cooper is one of the country’s most electric playmakers.
The 6-foot-1, 205-pound playmaker is rated the nation’s No. 30 overall prospect and No. 2 athlete in the class of 2026 by 247Sports, but is ESPN’s No. 1 running back.
As a junior, he rushed for 905 yards and 13 touchdowns while averaging 9.3 yards per carry. Defensively, he contributed 46 tackles, four sacks, three fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles.
That performance earned him more than 30 scholarship offers and an early invitation to compete in the Under Armour All-American Game.
On Thursday, Cooper announced a major step forward in his recruitment, setting a July 20 commitment date with a final five of Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Ohio State and Texas:
— Derrek Cooper (@DerrekCooper80) July 10, 2025
Cooper has largely kept his recruitment close to the vest, but Georgia and Miami are thought to be strong suitors – with Texas also lingering given that he pushed back his original date in order to travel to Austin.
Still, all five teams have a shot – and this one could come down to the wire.
Here’s what 247Sports has to say about Cooper as a prospect:
“A jack-of-all-trades that some schools view as a running back while others think the ceiling might be higher as a back-seven defender. Owns a favorable athletic profile for a mid-skill with bright green speed and explosion scores.”
“As a ball carrier, runs with plenty of tempo and energy as he hits the hole with urgency. Always seems to be spiraling forward with his 6-foot-1, 205-pound frame and will use his core power to bounce off tacklers in tight quarters. Effective on swing/screen passes and has the hands to emerge as more than just a check-down option for a passing attack. On defense, displays advanced IQ as he’s quick to read and react. Charges downhill with authority and has proven to be a solid open-field tackler. Can get home on the blitz and is also rather competent in both man and zone coverage after playing primarily safety early on in prep career.”
“Should be viewed as one of the more unique evaluations in the class given the position ambiguity as he could settle in as a bell cow on offense or thrive as a speed-and-space linebacker. Will need a plan and a vision at the next level, but has stamped himself as one of the top overall prospects in the Sunshine State at this stage after impacting games in a variety of different ways.”