Will Miami steal a top Recruit from Ohio State? Here's what we know so far

Derrek Cooper, a five-star running back's enthusiasm for Ohio State seems to be slipping.  Miami and Georgia have caught up to the Buckeyes in Cooper's mind. With that said, where does Miami stand in this race for the coveted rusher? Let's take a closer look.

The Buckeyes already have an uphill battle trying to remain atop the college football mountain. Roster turnover always makes repeating as national champions extremely hard and Ohio State had 31 seniors on last season's roster. Recruiting is an essential part of replenishing their depth chart.  

Minimizing the loss of so many seniors is one reason why Derrek Cooper is such a coveted target for Ohio State. Quinshon Judkins' departure only exacerbates the situation. The star-studded recruit recently revealed that Miami and Georgia may be sneaking ahead of the Buckeyes on his list.  

“The ones who’ve been contacting me mostly are Miami and Georgia,” Cooper told On3 this week. “They’ve just done a great job texting me, keeping in contact. All the other schools have done a great job, too. But ever since the beginning, it’s been those two schools.”

Cooper, who played high school football at Chaminade-Madonna is in ESPN's top 10 for the class of 2026. He is the last member of that group who remains undecided, so he could still change his mind before July 20.

His recent comments seem to suggest his final decision will be between Miami and Georgia with Ohio State out of the mix.

The Hurricanes currently have the 13th-ranked recruiting class in America. Notably, they have a commitment from four-star running back Girard Pringle Jr and have a transfer in CharMar Brown.  If Cooper comes to Coral Gables, the running back room will become crowded with elite talent at that position. While that sounds great, it's a blessing and a curse as they'll have more egos to keep in check.

Miami currently has one five-star commitment, 11 four-stars and eight three-star recruits committed out of high school. In addition, safety Bryce Fitzgerald has signed his letter of intent. Meanwhile, 19 players have chosen to transfer to Miami from other schools.  That makes this a highly productive offseason for Miami. A commitment from Cooper would be icing on the cake.

The battle for Derrek Cooper's services has been an intense battle between Miami, Ohio State, and Georgia. When he makes his commitment, tune into Sports Illustrated for our analysis. We will cover his decision in-depth when it comes.