Elite 2026 Texas commit confirms Miami Hurricanes are still in the fold after attending big win over Notre Dame

2026 four-star RB Derrek Cooper says Miami Hurricanes are still on his radar

Cooper told Rivals that Miami is "still on my radar" after being impressed with Miami's top-10 win over the Irish. He also admitted he was impressed with the crowd at Hard Rock Stadium as well as the running back rotation and usage.

Cooper, who plays for Chaminade-Madonna Prep in Fort Lauderdale, is the #2 running back in the country according to On3 Sports/Rivals, who have him as the #6 player in the state of Florida and #37 overall recruit according to their industry rankings. He held offers from just about every big-name program in the country. However, he ultimately became the latest big name local recruit to turn down the Hurricanes, opting instead for the Texas Longhorns, who he committed to back on July 20.

However, Shannon Dawson's offense has proven that Miami will make it a priority to build a big and powerful offensive line as well as involve their running backs heavily in the gameplan. Miami leaned on Marty Brown and Mark Walton, Jr. - their more powerful runners - with 15 carries each, and Jordan Lyle logged 5. Against a powerful Notre Dame front, they totaled 38 rushing attempts to 31 passes.

Miami's offense, gameplan, and home atmosphere appear to have at least given the Hurricanes a puncher's chance on landing Cooper with less than 3 months until signing day, and at this point, that's all you can ask for.