PHILADELPHIA – The hot names in the Eagles’ receiver room this offseason went by Dontayvion, Hollywood, and Elijah, with a twist of Lemon. Darius Cooper, well, he wasn’t the shiny and new thing, so his name may not have been at the forefront of the conversations in March and April.
He’s forcing his way into those conversations, though, and even into an answer from his quarterback, Jalen Hurts. When asked by the NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo earlier this week about who has stood out to him, his first mention was Cooper.
“I think Darius Cooper has done a really good job,” said Hurts. “He’s always been a big body, physical, strong hands, but just to see how he’s transitioned going into Year 2, I’m definitely excited for him.”
That’s not to discount Dontayvion Wicks, who has brought a fire and feistiness to camp, Hollywood Brown or Lemon, who was unavailable in the spring with a hamstring and is unavailable again with a hamstring in the summer, or Elijah Moore, who has also made some nice plays. It’s just that Cooper has been steady, maybe steadier than expected given the offseason of love for the newcomers.
All he does is show up and make plays, like the one on Tuesday. He tight-roped the back of the end zone trying to work his way open when Andy Dalton spotted him and threw a dart from about the 7-yard line. Cooper went up and snagged it with one hand and somehow got both feet in in, at least according to the practice ref who signaled touchdown.
It was one of the top plays in camp if not the best.
“Down in the red zone, got to have it situation, and Andy put it up there, and by the grace of God, I was able to bring it down,” said Cooper. “I don’t think I got my foot in, though, but it was still a pretty good catch. So, really just working on the fundamentals, getting my drag I, getting to my back, so things of that nature.
“The catch, that’s just extra work. The catch is going to happen, but it’s like what you do after that. Do you get your foot in? Do you get on your back? Do you do the fundamentals? That’s what I’m focused on.”
Cooper, you probably remember, made the team as an undrafted free agent out of tiny Tarleton State last year. He was an Associated Press first-team FCS All-American and ended his career with the most receiving yards (3,185) in school history, most 100-yard games (14, since at least 1978), and second most touchdown catches (29).
After spending all last season on the 53-man roster, playing 13 games, he showed off his run-blocking ability while making 9 catches for 92 yards. Cooper is getting more opportunity to shine in camp with DeVonta Smith, Lemon, and Britain Covey shelved for who knows how long with hamstring injuries.
Cooper arrived last summer with a chip on his shoulder, and it hasn’t gone anywhere a year later.
“Coming from a smaller school, undrafted free agent, you know, that’s kind of been my life for my whole football career, you know, coming from smaller schools, things of that nature, but still making a name for myself. But really, just staying humble, keeping my faith, and everything like that and putting in the work.”
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