No. 1 running back Cooper commits to Longhorns

Days aft landing No. 1 extracurricular linebacker Tyler Atkinson, Texas secured its latest five-star summation Sunday erstwhile coveted rusher Derrek Cooper, ESPN's No. 1 moving backmost successful the 2026 class, announced his committedness to the Longhorns.

Cooper, a 6-foot-2, 205-pound enlistee from Chaminade-Madonna Preparatory School successful Hollywood, Florida, is the seventh-ranked imaginable successful the 2026 ESPN 300. Following an unofficial travel to Texas successful April, Cooper did not marque an authoritative sojourn to the programme earlier choosing the Longhorns implicit finalists Florida State, Georgia, Miami and Ohio State successful a ceremonial Sunday night.

Cooper's begetter told ESPN that the beingness of Longhorns moving backmost manager Chad Scott, who replaced erstwhile adjunct Tashard Choice successful February, and the all-purpose relation Texas manager Steve Sarkisian laid retired for Cooper successful the program's discourtesy were starring factors successful his son's decision.

"They've talked astir his accomplishment acceptable and compared his physique to [former UT moving back] Bijan Robinson," Corey Cooper told ESPN. "They don't person a moving backmost similar Derrek close now. They consciousness similar they tin bash a batch with him."

Derrek Cooper is the 4th five-star pledge successful the Longhorns' 2026 people and continues a summertime recruiting teardrop for Sarkisian & Co., who person added 10 ESPN 300 commits since June 1.

Cooper's committedness comes days aft Texas edged Georgia for the pledge of Atkinson -- No. 14 successful the 2026 ESPN 300 and the No. 1 imaginable successful the authorities of Georgia -- past flipped four-star Bulldogs antiaircraft enactment perpetrate James Johnson (No. 123 overall) aboriginal successful the day.

Cooper is the second-highest ranked of six top-100 recruits committed to Sarkisian's incoming class, joining Atkinson, chap 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 talented two-way prima astatine Chaminade-Madonna Prep, Cooper trails lone chap Texas pledge Bell -- ESPN's No. 1 backmost successful 2026 -- arsenic the second-ranked enlistee successful Florida this cycle.

Cooper was credited with 124 carries for 905 yards and 13 touchdowns arsenic a inferior past autumn portion starring Chaminade-Madonna Prep to a 1A authorities championship. He added 46 full tackles and 4 sacks connected defence successful 2024, wherever helium operates astatine some linebacker and safety.

Cooper volition articulation a perchance crowded presumption radical adjacent twelvemonth with arsenic galore arsenic 5 existent Texas moving backs eligible to instrumentality successful 2026. However, with elite pass-catching quality retired of the backfield, Cooper's versatility could pave the mode toward aboriginal opportunities successful a Longhorns discourtesy that has routinely recovered originative ways to usage accomplishment presumption talents nether Sarkisian.

"He wants to run, helium wants to beryllium capable to drawback the shot retired of the backfield, helium wants to enactment up astatine wide receiver," Cooper's begetter said. "He wants to amusement helium has each the skills to play astatine the adjacent level, and they're going to fto him bash that astatine Texas."

Upon Cooper's pledge, antiaircraft extremity Jake Kreul (No. 22 overall) stands arsenic the past uncommitted subordinate among ESPN's 23 five-star prospects successful 2026. Savion Hiter and Davian Groce, ESPN's No. 2 and No. 4 moving backmost prospects, are the lone uncommitted moving backs successful the 2026 ESPN 300.