Come July 12, people across the country are going to be tuned in to see where 5-star running back Derrek Cooper will be committing to. The speedster holds offers from every powerhouse in the country, with several schools chasing his verbal.
As you might have been able to guess, Cooper has Ohio State football among his finalists and Ryan Day is putting in serious work to land him. Earlier this week, the Florida product turned plenty of heads when he was participating at a Rivals camp and he was sporting Ohio State cleats.
Was he hinting that the Buckeyes were his leader? It sure felt that way. Now, Cooper has even more people talking with his latest social media post showing major love to Ohio State. It sure feels like the Buckeyes have him thinking about a future in Columbus:
— Derrek Cooper (@DerrekCooper80) June 26, 2025
5-star RB Derrek Cooper is high on Ohio State ahead of his decision
The Buckeyes of course aren't the only school left in the running, however. In addition to Ohio State, Cooper is still considering Florida State, Alabama, Georgia, Miami and others. Yes, there's stiff competition, but Ohio State has turned his head more than once this cycle.
When he made his way to campus for his official visit, it was clear that Cooper and his family loved what they saw. Hey, it's not every single day that the reigning national champions bring you in for a visit and sell you on what you'll be able to get done for the historic program down the road.
Cooper has picked up well over 30 offers throughout his recruitment. He's ranked five stars, the No. 2 ATH in the country and No. 30 prospect nationally according to the 247Sports Composite. Whoever grabs his commitment next month is going to be quite lucky.
All in all, Cooper has what it takes to be an elite playmaker at the next level. There are plenty of reasons why he's a 5-star talent and why so many fans all over Ohio are waiting to see what he decides. Will he play his college ball for Day and Ohio State? We'll have an answer soon enough.