Texas Lands Five-star Running Back Derrek Cooper
In a significant boost to their 2026 recruiting class, the Texas Longhorns have secured a commitment from five-star running back Derrek Cooper. The highly-touted prospect cited the presence of running backs coach chad Scott and the offensive scheme envisioned for him by head coach steve Sarkisian as key factors in his decision.
CooperS father, Corey Cooper, shared with ESPN that the Texas coaching staff has expressed confidence in his son’s ability to fill a unique role within the offense.”They’ve talked about his skill set and compared his build to [former UT running back] Bijan Robinson,” Corey Cooper stated. “They don’t have a running back like Derrek right now. They feel like they can do a lot with him.”
This commitment marks the fourth five-star pledge for the Longhorns in the 2026 cycle and continues a strong summer of recruiting, with Texas adding 10 ESPN 300 commits since June 1.Cooper’s decision follows closely on the heels of Texas securing commitments from fellow five-star prospect and No. 14 overall recruit in the 2026 ESPN 300, defensive end Ethan Atkinson, and flipping four-star defensive lineman James Johnson from georgia.
Cooper is the second-highest ranked recruit in Texas’s current 2026 class,trailing only ESPN’s No. 1 quarterback in 2026, Dia Bell. He joins a group of six top-100 recruits committed to Sarkisian’s incoming class,including Bell,five-star pledges Richard Wesley (No. 11 overall), and four-star commits John Turntine III (No. 43 overall) and Samari Matthews (no. 99 overall).
A standout two-way player at Chaminade-Madonna Prep, Cooper is currently the second-ranked recruit in Florida for the 2026 cycle. As a junior last season, he rushed for 905 yards and 13 touchdowns on 124 carries, leading his team to a 1A state championship. Defensively, he recorded 46 total tackles and four sacks as a linebacker and safety.
Cooper’s versatility is expected to be a significant asset for the Longhorns. His father elaborated on his son’s aspirations, saying, “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. 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.” This adaptability could allow him to carve out early playing time, even with a potentially competitive running back room next year, as up to five current Texas running backs are eligible to return in 2026.
With Cooper’s commitment, defensive end Jake Kreul (No. 22 overall) remains the only uncommitted player among ESPN’s top 23 five-star prospects in the 2026 class. Among running backs in the 2026 ESPN 300,Savion Hiter and Davian Groce,ranked No. 2 and No.4 respectively, are the only uncommitted prospects.
