Georgia Tech picked up a commitment from an offensive line prospect whose coach can’t recommend him highly enough. Sonoraville High lineman Kenny Cooper gave his commitment to the Yellow Jackets Tuesday.
“I think he’s one of the best players in the state of Georgia,” Sonoraville coach Jim Kremer said. “He’s certainly one of the best players I’ve coached in 29 years.”
Cooper had been committed to Western Kentucky since last June. Kremer said that he had received more than 20 FCS offers and was on the radar of Auburn and Clemson. Cooper mostly played on the defensive line for Sonoraville, a Class AAA school in Calhoun that reached the second round of the playoff this season. He is 6-foot-4 and 295 pounds and, according to coaches, is particularly agile for his size. Cooper primarily played on the defensive side for Sonoraville, but was used as an H-back on offense.
“He catches the ball in the flats, he wraps around, he romps and stomps down the field,” Kremer said. “He’s very athletic. He should fit in very, very well with what Georgia Tech does with offensive linemen.”
As a junior, Cooper went out for wrestling for the first time, joining the team in December, and went on to finish as a state finalist at heavyweight.
“You look at a big kid that’s 6-4, 295, you wouldn’t think he could move his hips,” said Jason Muehling, Cooper’s position coach and also his wrestling coach. “Those things are flipping. … He moves around like a kid that weighs 150 pounds.”
Kremer further described Cooper as turning into a “monster” when he sets foot on the field.
“He’s got an unbelievable motor,” Kremer said. “They’ve got a hard, tough kid is what they’ve got. He’ll represent Georgia Tech very, very well.”
Kremer was recruited by Tech linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator Andy McCollum, who had kept tabs on him before making an offer Monday. He is projected as a guard, according to Kremer. Tech recently lost two commitments from offensive linemen, Jordan Johnson of Jacksonville, Fla., and Trysten Hill of Live Oak, Fla. The 2016 class is now at nine commits, with room for about eight more.
Cooper is rated a two-star prospect by Scout, a two-star by Rivals and a three-star by 247. His commitment to Tech was first reported Tuesday by Rivals.
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