Green Bay Packers linebacker Edgerrin Cooper put together a strong first season as the full-time starter. Cooper totaled 118 tackles, four tackles for loss, a half sack, four pass deflections, and two forced fumbles across 16 regular-season games, plus eight tackles and one pass deflection in the Wild Card Round before exiting the third quarter with a shoulder injury. He also posted 12 pressures, 19 missed tackles, 27 run stops, a 6.3% stop rate, and 66 total stops.
The Green Bay Packers’ superstar makes his debut in the top 10 position rankings
Oct 19, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Detailed view of a Green Bay Packers helmet at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
In an ESPN article written by Jeremy Fowler, NFL coaches, scouts, and executives identified the top 10 off-ball linebackers heading into the 2026 NFL season. Voters ranked Edgerrin Cooper as the ninth-best player at the position. Fowler noted Cooper’s 17 career tackles for loss, which are the most on the team in their first two seasons since Clay Matthews. Additionally, a veteran NFL defensive coach praised the superstar for his size, speed, and hit-run ability.
“‘He has the size, speed and run-and-hit ability that few have,’ a veteran NFL defensive coach said. ‘He can really go.’
“Cooper’s 17 career tackles for loss are the most for a Packers player over their first two seasons since Clay Matthews III had 35 in 2009-10. The 6-foot-2, 229-pound Cooper forced two fumbles and recovered a fumble in 2025, and his run stop win rate was 33%.
“Cooper is a bullet in the open field. But his 4.51-second 40-yard dash time isn’t the only reason why he plays fast.
“‘It’s his mind,’ a high-ranking AFC official said. ‘He sees it and can anticipate.'”
Here are the top 10 players:
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