From now until the 2026 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top 10 picks, down to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on San Diego DL, Malachi Cooper.
No. 0 MALACHI COOPER/DL San Diego – 6047, 289 POUNDS (REDSHIRT SENIOR)
MEASUREMENTS
Player Ht/Wt Hand Size Arm Length Wingspan
Malachi Cooper 6047/289 9 5/8 34 83 7/8
40-Yard Dash 10-Yard Dash Short Shuttle 3-Cone
5.12 1.76 4.75 7.64
Broad Jump Vertical Bench Press
9’0″ 27.5 19
THE GOOD
– Exceptional length size for a defensive end
– Usually makes first contact with offensive tackles and interior lineman
– Heavy hands and a strong punch to control blockers at the point of attack
– Anchors down well in his stance
– Holds the gap well versus the run
– Absorbs double teams effectively
– Can align in multiple ways across in odd fronts
– Demonstrates solid hand placement and leverage in run fits
– Reliable play over multiple seasons with sustained production
– Has worked hard to put on 60 lbs. since high school
THE BAD
– Average explosiveness off the ball
– Tends to win with brute force in his pass rush and length rather than a set of counter moves
– Quickness around the edge and bend is below average
– Mechanical issues taking on combo blocks in space
– Pad level can rise that leads to inconsistent leverage
– Below average upper-body twitchiness to shed blocks
– Can be widened off the mark trying to set the edge
– Lacks short-area athleticism with labored turns
– Doesn’t have ideal mass to be an interior defensive tackle
– Not athletic enough to be a full-time edge rusher
STATS
– 29 career starts and has played in a total of 38 games in 5 years at San Diego University
– Career: 1,622 total snaps (1,163 over the tackle, 237 B Gap, 204 outside the tackle, 14 A Gap)
– 105 special teams snaps (96 FG Block, 7 Punt Return, FG Kick)
– 105 total tackles (49 solo), 74 pressures, 26.5 TFL’s, 16 sacks, 0 INT’s, 2 batted passes, 1 fumble recovery, 2 forced fumbles, 1 blocked FG, 12 missed tackles, 62 run stops, 2 penalties
– 2025: Started in all 12 games
– 41 total tackles (19 solo), 28 pressures, 9.5 TFL’s, 5 sacks, 0 batted passes, 0 fumble recoveries, 1 forced fumble, 3 missed tackles, 24 run stops, 0 penalties
– 81.8 run defense grade (7.5 percent run stop win rate, 0.2 yd. average depth of tackle) per PFF
– 70.6 pass rush grade (11.7 percent pass rush win rate, 18.5 percent true pass set win rate) per PFF
INJURY HISTORY
– No known injury history
BACKGROUND
– From San Diego, CA and attended Serra H.S. (now known as Canyon Hills High School)
– 2025 1st Team All-PFL Team Defense
– 2023-24 2nd Team All-PFL Team Defense
– Three-star recruit according to 247Sports
– Didn’t have any offers from other schools besides San Diego
– Only able to play 4 games his senior season due to the COVID-19 Pandemic
– 51 tackles, 22 TFL’s, 11 sacks, and 4 PD’s in his junior season as a defensive end
– Majored in Industrial & Systems Engineering
TAPE BREAKDOWN
Every so often, you find guys in smaller schools who have outlier athletic traits and skills that stand head and shoulders above their competition level. That is absolutely the case with Malachi Cooper, who played as a 225 pound edge rusher in high school and evolved into a 290 pound defensive lineman who could move all over the place to give offensive linemen fits.
He is a bull in a China shop with his powerful punches and hands that he uses very effectively to set the table for his pass rushing and run defending prowess. He doesn’t have the deepest bag of tricks to get to the quarterback or the elite explosiveness, but he is relentless in all phases to make plays consistently.
Cooper shows significant flashes of power with his hands and in his leg drive to hold guys in position before shedding them or getting underneath their shoulder pads to put them on skates. He can line up anywhere from a 0-7 technique on the defensive line, but his best production came as a 4i-5-tech.
pic.twitter.com/ryev9NOWuk
— Happy Days (@Jh86Guy) March 25, 2026
His pursuit to the quarterback and running backs is also what jumps out when watching him. He has a motor that never stops. Cooper wins often as a pass rusher or run defender just from second-effort plays.
pic.twitter.com/RWW8MbWdVq
— Happy Days (@Jh86Guy) March 25, 2026
pic.twitter.com/mGYNCJcH2r
— Happy Days (@Jh86Guy) March 25, 2026
Once he puts a pop on someone, they feel it. The guy is a strong tackler and knows how to bring someone down efficiently.
pic.twitter.com/WnweqNn8JW
— Happy Days (@Jh86Guy) March 25, 2026
CONCLUSION
Malachi Cooper’s game is built on effort, length and savvy rather than elite explosiveness. He excels at generating pressure with power and hand usage, often winning with inside moves, push-pull techniques and by collapsing the pocket from 3-tech or 5-tech alignments. He’s especially valuable on passing downs, where his ability to rush from different spots creates matchup problems.
Against the run, he’s disciplined and assignment-sound, using his length to stack and shed blockers, though he’s not a dominant anchor versus double teams. His versatility makes him scheme-flexible. He’s been effective in both 4-3 and 3-4 fronts as a base end, interior rusher, or sub-package disruptor.
Cooper would be an excellent fit in the Steelers defensive line room as a long-limbed, powerful lineman who could play multiple positions. His strength and ability to hold his ground would allow him to play on almost any down, depending on specific situations for deployment. He would also be a big body on special teams for blocking units.
There is a lot of resemblance to Denico Autry when he was coming out of Mississippi State for Cooper. Both guys started out as edge rushers, but evolved into guys who could play all along the defensive line once their bodies got bigger and stronger.
NFL Projection: Undrafted Free Agent
Steelers Depot Draft Grade: 6.2 (Pure Backup)
Grade Range: 5.9 – 6.7
Games Watched: at Marist (2025), at Davidson (2025), at Dayton (2024), at North Dakota (2024)
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