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Eli Lederman
Days after touchdown No. 1 exterior linebacker Tyler Atkinson, Texas secured its physical games five-star addition Sunday when coveted rusher Derrek Cooper, ESPN’s No. 1 operating again within the 2026 class, introduced his dedication to the Longhorns.
Cooper, a 6-foot-2, 205-pound recruit from Chaminade-Madonna Preparatory Faculty in Hollywood, Florida, is the seventh-ranked prospect within the 2026 ESPN 300. Following an unofficial journey to Texas in April, Cooper didn’t make an official go to to this system earlier than selecting the Longhorns over finalists Florida State, Georgia, Miami and Ohio State in a ceremony Sunday evening.
Cooper’s father advised ESPN that the presence of Longhorns operating again coach Chad Scott, who changed former assistant Tashard Selection in February, and the all-purpose position Texas coach Steve Sarkisian laid out for Cooper in this system’s offense had been main components in his son’s choice.
“They’ve talked about his ability set and in contrast his construct to [former UT running back] Bijan Robinson,” Corey Cooper advised ESPN. “They do not have a operating again like Derrek proper now. They really feel like they’ll do so much with him.”
Derrek Cooper is the fourth five-star pledge within the Longhorns’ 2026 class and continues a summer season recruiting tear for Sarkisian & Co., who’ve added 10 ESPN 300 commits since June 1.
Cooper’s dedication comes days after Texas edged Georgia for the pledge of Atkinson — No. 14 within the 2026 ESPN 300 and the No. 1 prospect within the state of Georgia — then flipped four-star Bulldogs line of defense commit James Johnson (No. 123 total) later within the day.
Cooper is the second-highest ranked of six top-100 recruits dedicated to Sarkisian’s incoming class, becoming a member of Atkinson, fellow five-star pledges Dia Bell (No. 4) and Richard Wesley (No. 11), and four-stars John Turntine III (No. 43) and Samari Matthews (No. 99).
A gifted two-way star at Chaminade-Madonna Prep, Cooper trails solely fellow Texas pledge Bell — ESPN’s No. 1 quarterback in 2026 — because the second-ranked recruit in Florida this cycle.
Cooper was credited with 124 carries for 905 yards and 13 touchdowns as a junior final fall whereas main Chaminade-Madonna Prep to a 1A state championship. He added 46 whole tackles and 4 sacks on protection in 2024, the place he operates at each linebacker and security.
Cooper will be a part of a probably crowded place group subsequent 12 months with as many as 5 present Texas operating backs eligible to return in 2026. Nonetheless, with elite pass-catching skill out of the backfield, Cooper’s versatility might pave the way in which towards early alternatives in a Longhorns offense that has routinely discovered artistic methods to make use of ability place skills underneath Sarkisian.
“He needs to run, he needs to have the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield, he needs to line up at vast receiver,” Cooper’s father mentioned. “He needs to point out he has all the abilities to play on the subsequent stage, and they are going to let him do this at Texas.”
Upon Cooper’s pledge, defensive finish Jake Kreul (No. 22 total) stands because the final uncommitted participant amongst ESPN’s 23 five-star prospects in 2026. Savion Hiter and Davian Groce, ESPN’s No. 2 and No. 4 operating again prospects, are the one uncommitted operating backs within the 2026 ESPN 300.