Big time college football program is trying to get a five star Texas commit to visit, and he gave them an answer

Rivals' Steve Wiltfong caught up with Derrek Cooper after his trip to Texas.

“Had an amazing time in Austin,” Cooper posted on social media following his visit the weekend of Sept. 20.

Cooper also visited back in April. It was another trip which went a long way in helping him decide he wanted to commit to the Longhorns over the in-state programs.

“My visit was great,” he said at that time. “I got to meet a bunch of coaches such as Coach Scott and coach Sark. What continues to excite me is the way they will use me in their offense.”

Derrek Cooper bio blast

• Under Armour All-American
• State qualifier as a sophomore in the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash, and long jump
• Ran for 905 yards (9.3 YPC) and 13 TD as a junior. Added 46 tackles (10 TFL), 4 PBU, 4 sacks, 3 FR and 2 FF as well on defense
• Helped Chaminade-Madonna Prep finish 13-2 – winning the Florida 1A title

Derrek Cooper has picked up right where he left off in 2024.

Last week, he was a key cog in a rout of Western (Fla.), 56-0. He figures to be a focal point of Steve Sarkisian's 2026 class, too. The blue chip running back is part of the country's 5th-ranked class – featuring five-star quarterback Dia Bell, five-star EDGE Richard Wesley, and five-star linebacker Tyler Atkinson, among others.

The sales pitch to Cooper and his family is he will be able to showcase all of his talents, all of his skill set, and all of his versatility in Sarkisian's offense. His father spoke with ESPN's Eli Lederman about it.

"He wants to run, he wants to be able to catch the ball out of the backfield, he wants to line up at wide receiver," Cooper's father said. "He wants to show he has all the skills to play at the next level, and they're going to let him do that at Texas."

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