Fear not, ladies and gentlemen, meaningful college football is just around the corner, with the start of the 2023 season under two months away! Here at Aggies Wire, we’ll be counting down by looking at each Texas A&M football player that corresponds to the number of days left till the start of the football season.
With 45 days until the start of the season, we’re looking at No. 45 for the Maroon and White: senior linebacker Edgerrin Cooper.
Cooper returns for his senior season in College Station after appearing in 11 games with eight starts for the Aggies in 2022. He recorded 61 tackles, including eight for a loss, five pass deflections, one interception, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery. According to Pro Football Focus, he finished with a 66.1 overall defensive grade, including a 66.7 run defense grade, a 70.4 pass-rush grade, and a 59.7 coverage grade.
Cooper joins Chris Russell Jr. as a bonafide veteran and leader of a linebacker unit that has enters the 2023 campaign with limited depth following three departures, though transfer Jurriente Davis aids in that area. Regardless, Cooper’s play will be counted on if the Aggies hope to take a leap in defending the run while also improving in pass coverage.
In 2022, Texas A&M ranked 124th in the country in run defense, allowing an average of 218.3 yards per game on the ground to their opponents. As a will linebacker who has the skill set to play sideline to sideline, Cooper plays a major role in defending the run. Simultaneously, he’s proven to be immensely valuable in pass coverage as he logged five pass breakups last season, which tied for fifth among linebackers in the country.
Texas A&M has a case to be made for having one of the most fearsome defensive units in the SEC this season, and Cooper’s veteran experience and leadership in the middle will be a vital component for the Aggies to compile a bounce-back season in 2023.
Edgerin Cooper’s Photo Gallery;
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