Where Jeremiah Cooper ranks on latest Big Ten top players list

With the 2026-27 college football season just a fall camp away from starting, speculation is already arising surrounding which players will define the college football season. For the Penn State Nittany Lions , those kinds of expectations may be a bit more unknown, even to them. After all, after a massive roster overhaul, not many people know what to expect from this squad. Still, there are several players looking to leave their mark, and it has reflected in several preseason rankings.

The Big Ten Huddle Podcast recently released their top 100 players in the conference and the Nittany Lions didn't do too badly, landing six players on it. However, the highest-ranked one may surprise many.

Safety Jeremiah Cooper was not only in the top 25, but in fact, the only Nittany Lions player to break the top 50. Despite the fact Cooper was the sixth-ranked transfer in Penn State's haul, more offensive players caught the attention of several analysts, such as QB Rocco Becht and RB Carson Hansen . However, in a new-look secondary, Cooper could be the leader that group needs.

Throughout his career at Iowa State , Cooper proved to be one of the program's all-time greats, ranking 10th in program history with eight career interceptions and sixth among active D-I players in passes defensed with 30. However, last season saw him suffer an ACL tear after moving to corner, which saw him only play in four games. This year, after several key departures at the position, including Zakee Wheatley to the NFL, Cooper is set to move back to safety and play alongside his former Iowa State teammates yet again.

While the list also included both Rocco Becht and Carson Hansen, they were both ranked much lower, with Becht at No. 51 and Hansen at No. 76. It is clear that defense is the key to winning championships, and Cooper could set the early standard in the Matt Campbell era for doing so.

.oembed-frame {width:100%;height:100%;margin:0;border:0;}

Follow Nittany Lions Wire on X and Facebook .

This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Where Jeremiah Cooper ranks on latest Big Ten top players list

Indexed and credited by AIPROPX. Originating outlet: Yahoo Sports. Open at source →