RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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AUSTIN, TEXAS - APRIL 18: Derrek Cooper #5 of the Texas Longhorns runs a drill during the Texas Spring Football Game at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on April 18, 2026 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Scott Wachter/Getty Images for ONIT) | Getty Images for ONIT
As transfer running backs Raleek Brown and Hollywood Smothers jockey for 1A and 1B positioning on the Texas Longhorns depth chart, freshman Derrek Cooper is positioning himself as the third-string option for head coach Steve Sarkisian after an impressive start to his career on the Forty Acres.
“I really love D-Coop. He’s a hard-charging guy. He plays physical. He plays fast. He’s a very natural football player,” said Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian after Saturday’s scrimmage.
A two-way standout in high school at Chaminade-Madonna in Hollywood (Fla.), Cooper also played safety and linebacker, recording 46 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, four sacks, three forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries as a junior, highlighting his feel for the game.
“He played defense, he played offense, whatever was needed to to be successful, so the game comes pretty naturally to him,” said Sarkisian.
Cooper also blocked two punts on special teams as a junior.
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An early enrollee in the 2026 recruiting class, Cooper arrived on the Forty Acres in January as a consensus four-star prospect ranked as the No. 109 player nationally and the No. 7 running back, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. After Texas missed on several other top targets, Cooper was a key addition to the class, committing to the Longhorns in July despite not taking a summer official visit to Austin.
Since getting on campus, Cooper has faced a learning curve in pass protection, a common theme for young running backs, while picking up the offense quickly.
“His understanding of the offense has been very impressive for a young player. I think his physicality, the speed in which he plays the game, has been very impressive. But as impressive, I think, has been his knowledge and willingness to learn. —s he’s done a really good job of of you know again learning from Raleek and Hollywood and Ryan Niblett, but at the same time, not taking a back seat, pushing and going forward, and trying to earn his opportunities,” said Sarkisian.
It looks like those opportunities will come early in the season as the 6’1, 212-pounder provides some thunder to the lightning of Brown and Smothers while still possessing the speed to create explosive plays.
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