Green Bay Packers linebacker Edgerrin Cooper turned heads across the NFL during his stellar rookie season, and for an encore, could be on the cusp of surpassing his impact last season.
Cooper, 6-foot-2 and 229 pounds, burst onto the scene after being chosen No. 45 overall by the Packers in the second round of last spring’s draft, posting 87 total tackles with 3.5 sacks, one forced fumble, and one interception in 14 games.
As the 23-year-old gears up for a potentially expanded role in coordinator Jeff Hafley’s system, his productivity as a rookie might just wind up being the floor for what the Packers should expect from him in 2025.
Green Bay Packers’ Edgerrin Cooper Named Player to Watch by ESPN
Green Bay Packers, NFL Draft, Barryn Sorrell, Edgerrin Cooper
Green Bay Packers linebacker Edgerrin Cooper (56) reacts after making a tackle against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, October 13, 2024, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. The Packers won the game, 34-13
Tork Mason/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
As the 2025 NFL season approaches, ESPN put together a list of players to know and storylines to watch, including Cooper building on his strong 2024 campaign.
“The lightbulb went on for Cooper last year,” Ben Solak writes for ESPN. “As he rose from sub-package player to 100% snap starter by season’s end. From December on, I’m not sure there were five more impactful linebackers in all of football. Cooper is highly active against the run and a reliable tackler in space. He has the size and athletic ability to be a solid coverage man. After he got one All-Pro vote last season, I’d wager Cooper gets double-digit votes in 2025.”
Edgerrin Cooper, GreeN Bay Packers
Dec 23, 2024; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Green Bay Packers linebacker Edgerrin Cooper (56) celebrates a tackle for a three-yard loss during the second quarter against the New Orleans Saints at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/Imagn Images
Cooper potentially nabbing multiple–if not double-digit All-Pro votes would be a colossal step forward for the second-year standout and perhaps a harbinger of the Packers’ defense making the kind of strides that can spark a playoff run this upcoming season.
Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers linebacker Edgerrin Cooper (56) beats a block by Chicago Bears center Coleman Shelton (65) as he pursues running back Roschon Johnson (23) on Sunday, January 5, 2025, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis.
Tork Mason/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
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