The Green Bay Packers have done a phenomenal job of building a talented, young roster through the draft. One savvy selection the team made came in the second round of the 2024 Draft, when Green Bay drafted linebacker Edgerrin Cooper with the 45th-overall pick. The linebacker had a roller coaster of a rookie season, but he flashed enough to generate excitement about year two in the league.
In a recent piece by Gennaro Filice on NFL.com, Filice named several bandwagons that fans need to jump on ahead of the 2025 season.
The Edgerrin Cooper bandwagon was one Filice was sure to highlight, explaining to fans that he’s on the verge of being a star.
NFL analyst says Edgerrin Cooper is on the verge of stardom with Packers
Filice detailed how much injury affected Cooper’s first year, limiting the rookie to just 14 games, but that was still more than enough for him to develop into an impact defender. Now, if he can avoid injuries, the sky is the limit for the linebacker.
"The first off-ball linebacker selected in last year’s draft, Cooper missed the entire preseason with a hip injury, limiting his playing time in September," writes Filice.
"But he forced his way into steady snaps in October as a rangy playmaker in Jeff Hafley’s defense, stuffing the stat sheet with tackles, sacks and takeaways. A hamstring injury cost him three games as the calendar flipped from November to December, but by season’s end, Cooper was the kind of impact defender who jumped off the screen."
Filice ended his spiel on Cooper by saying, "if the 23-year-old can avoid soft-tissue setbacks, full-fledged stardom awaits."
If Cooper can ascend to that level of stardom in year two, he will help the Packers improve their status as contenders. Green Bay has already proved to be close, going 11-6 last season, and a star linebacker will raise the team’s ceiling.
With Jordan Love, Josh Jacobs, and the group of wideouts providing promise on the offensive side of the ball, Edgerrin Cooper can help lead the young talents on the defensive side of the ball in Green Bay.