Overview
- Derrek Cooper, rated the No. 1 running back in ESPN’s Class of 2026, announced his commitment to Texas on July 20 over finalists Florida State, Georgia, Miami and Ohio State.
- In the 247Sports Composite, Cooper holds a five-star ranking as the No. 29 overall prospect and the No. 2 recruit in Florida.
- The 6-foot-2, 205-pound two-way standout from Chaminade-Madonna Prep rushed for 905 yards and 13 touchdowns as a junior.
- Cooper becomes Texas’s third ESPN five-star in the 2026 class, joining quarterback Dia Bell, defensive end Richard Wesley and linebacker Tyler Atkinson.
- With Cooper’s pledge, the Longhorns sit among the top five FBS programs in 247Sports team recruiting standings under Steve Sarkisian’s leadership.