Everything you need to know about Packers second-round pick Edgerrin Cooper

After addressing their offensive line in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers spent much of day two adding talent to their defense.

They kicked things off by drafting former Texas A&M linebacker Edgerrin Cooper, who looks set to have an immediate impact as a rookie.

So, who is Cooper, and how does he fit on the Packers' defense?

What can Packers expect from second-round pick Edgerrin Cooper?

Background

Cooper was a two-way player in high school, excelling at both linebacker and running back. He was recruited to play the former and was rated by 247Sports as a four-star prospect in the 2020 recruiting class. After initially committing to Oklahoma, he elected to sign with Texas A&M instead.

After featuring primarily as a special teams player in his freshman season, Cooper earned some playing time on defense in 2021. He became a full-time starter for the Aggies the following year, leading the team in tackles.

Cooper returned for the 2023 season and took his game to the next level. He finished the season as a First Team All-SEC member and became Texas A&M's third Consensus All-American since 2019.

Strengths

Cooper's selling point as a draft prospect is his movement skills. He showcases impressive explosiveness that allows him to work sideline-to-sideline with no issues. He ran a 4.51 40-yard dash at the Combine with a 1.54 10-yard split. Those two numbers rank in the 93rd and 88th percentile respectively.

These easy movement skills enable Cooper to be a true three-down contributor. He led Texas A&M with 37 run stops in 2023, and shows great tenacity in getting downhill and finishing tackles in space.

His ability in coverage stood out too. His athleticism allows him to match up effectively against tight ends and running backs in single coverage, and he also flashes some good awareness when asked to drop out into zone coverage. Cooper produced 10 forced incompletions throughout his college career.

He pairs this athleticism with excellent length. Cooper's 34-inch arms are the second longest of any linebacker prospect in the 2024 class. This proves to be a real asset when he is working downhill against the run or chipping in as a blitzer, allowing him to deconstruct blocks and get into the backfield.

That ability as a blitzer is no doubt something that the Packers will look to tap into early in his NFL career. Cooper's combination of quickness and bend saw him have real success in this regard and he actually led the Aggies with eight sacks during the 2023 season.

Weaknesses

The biggest concern with Cooper is ability to quickly process what is in front of him. Whilst there are plenty of encouraging flashes, at present he is much more of a reactive player than one who accurately anticipates plays. This can slow him down and his first step isn't always as accurate as you would like.

Opposing offenses knew this and you would often see them manipulate Cooper with misdirection. He will need to improve in this regard now that he is in the NFL if he is to reach his potential as a three-down contributor.

Cooper is also a little lighter than you would like a linebacker to be. At just 230 lbs he can sometimes get overwhelmed at the point of attack when coming downhill against the run. That kind of thing will only be more acute in the NFL and so adding some extra weight would not be a bad idea.

There is also room for Cooper to improve as a tackler. His angles are a little inconsistent and he will often over pursue, allowing ball carriers to find and exploit cutback opportunities. His tackling form also needs work in order to maximise his effectiveness in space.

Where does he fit with the Packers?

In terms of his skillset, there are certainly some parallels between what the Packers are getting in a player like Cooper to what they already have in Quay Walker. Both are outstanding athletes with elite explosiveness and blitzing potential.

With De'Vondre Campbell gone, Green Bay needs another starter alongside Walker, and that's where Cooper will slot in from day one. Whilst he and Walker both have similar skillsets, that will allow new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley to get creative with how he employs them.

Their ability to work from a range of alignments will allow the Packers to mix up their looks and keep opposing offenses guessing. In a division that is making a name for its offensive prowess, that is certainly not a bad idea at all.

More Packers news and analysis