Jonathan Cooper, OG, North Carolina Tar Heels: 2013 NFL Draft Player Profile
Nov 10, 2012; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Jonathan Cooper (64) on the field in the first half at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 311
Position Rank: 2
Drafted By: Arizona Cardinals (1st round, 7th overall)
40 Yard Dash: 5.07
Bench Press: 35
Career Stats (via North Carolina Athletic Site)
• 2012 Consensus All-America Selection – Walter Camp, FWAA, AFCA, AP, ESPN.com, SI
• 2012 Outland Trophy Finalist
• 2012 First-Team All-ACC and ACC Jacobs Blocking Trophy Winner
• 2012 Lombari Award Candidate
• 2012 Midseason All-America Selection – SI.com, ESPN.com, Phil Steele, Sporting News
• 2010 & 2011 Second-Team All-ACC
2012 – Senior Season
Consensus All-America selection • Will have his jersey honored in Kenan Stadium • Named first-team All-ACC and was awarded the ACC Jacobs Blocking Trophy for his standout play in 2012 • In has final career game, had a team-best 10 knockdowns and graded out at 93 percent • Earned ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors after his performance in the NC State game, his second weekly honor of the year • Played every snap and graded out at 90 percent with a team-high 18 knockdown blocks • Played all 72 snaps at Duke, grading out at 91 percent with 16 knockdown blocks • Earned ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week for his performance in the win at Miami • Graded out at a team-high 93 percent on 85 snaps, the most offensive plays by UNC since 2003 • Finished with 12 knockdowns and had several key blocks on long runs by Giovani Bernard • Graded out at 89 percent with 14 knockdowns and helped pave the way for 339 rushing yards, the most for Carolina since 2004 • Graded out at a team-best 91 percent on 51 snaps with 10 knockdowns in the win over Idaho • Had a team-best 12 knockdowns and no missed assignments in the win over East Carolina • Played all 64 snaps at Louisville and graded out at 86 percent with 11 knockdown blocks • Graded out at a team-best 88 percent at Wake and registered 12 knockdowns while appearing in all 84 plays of the game • Had 12 knockdowns in 53 snaps and graded out at 89 percent in the opener against Elon.
2011 – Junior Season
Earned second-team All-ACC honors for his play at left guard • Along with left tackle James Hurst, part of the first Carolina offensive line tandem to earn All-ACC honors since 1993 • Started all 13 games • Saw action on 864 plays and graded out at 86 percent for the season, good for second on the team • Helped pave the way for Giovani Bernard to gain 1,253 rushing yards, the first time a Tar Heel back has rushed for over 1,000 yards since 1997 • Finished with a team-best 47 regular-season knockdown blocks • Graded out at 94 percent with six knockdowns in the regular season finale against Duke • Played all 63 snaps and had five knockdowns at Virginia Tech • Saw action on 72 snaps and had three knockdowns against Wake Forest • Graded out at a team-best 89 percent with six knockdowns at Clemson • Had a season-high seven knockdowns and played all 79 snaps against Miami • Played all 54 snaps and graded out at 87 percent against Louisville • Played all 61 snaps with three knockdowns at East Carolina • Played all 53 snaps and graded out at 85 percent with five knockdowns at Georgia Tech • Played all 66 snaps and graded out at 86 percent with four knockdowns against Virginia • Had a team-high four knockdowns and saw action on all 58 snaps against Rutgers • Graded out at a team-high 88 percent in the opener against James Madison.
2010 – Sophomore Season
Earned second-team All-ACC honors at offensive guard • Started all 13 games in the regular season and played a team-high 875 snaps • Has started 23 games over two seasons, missing three games due to injury during his freshman year • Led the Tar Heels in knock-down blocks for the second straight year with 55 on the season • Graded out at 83 percent for the season, tied with James Hurst for the best mark on the team • Played on 74 snaps vs. Tennessee and helped the Tar Heels rush for 151 yards • Played all 84 snaps against Duke and had six knock-downs • Graded out at 78 percent for the NC State game with a team-best three knock-downs • Played all 69 snaps and graded out at 85 percent against Virginia Tech • Graded out a team-best 87 percent with four knock-downs against Florida State • Played all 71 snaps against William & Mary, grading out at a season-best 92 percent with seven knock-downs • Graded out at 88 percent with four knock-downs at Virginia • Graded out at 81 percent with four knock-downs against Clemson • Had a season-best nine knock-downs against East Carolina • Graded out at a team-best 91 percent with seven knock-downs at Rutgers • Had a team-high four knock-downs and graded out at 82 percent against Georgia Tech.
2009 – Redshirt Freshman Season
Named to the All-ACC freshman team by The Sporting News • Redshirt freshman that started 10 games at left guard and saw action on 579 snaps • Owned a 73-percent grade and a team-best 40 knock-down blocks on the season despite missing three games • Tallied two knock-downs at NC State • Had a team-high six knock-downs at Boston College • Graded at a team-best 81 percent and had three knock-downs against Miami • Notched a team-high eight knock-downs and a 77 percent grade against Duke • Logged a 75-percent grade and a game-high 10 knock-down blocks at Virginia Tech • Graded at 74 percent against Florida State • Sat out the Connecticut, Georgia Tech and Virginia games due to an ankle injury but returned to starting lineup against Georgia Southern and posted an 81-percent grade and three knock-downs blocks • Logged a team-best 82 percent grade and three knock-downs versus East Carolina • Posted two knock-down blocks against The Citadel • Redshirted in 2008.
Hoggard High School
Ranked the No. 8 player in North Carolina and the No. 21 offensive guard in the country by Rivals.com • Voted the conference’s player of the year as an offensive lineman • Played mostly guard in high school, but also played defensive end • Helped Hoggard claim the state 4-A championship as a senior, paving the way for three players who rushed for 600 yards or more • Hoggard won the title with a 16-0 record • Considered the No. 14 player in North Carolina by SuperPrep • Earned all-state honors as a senior • Also a standout heavyweight wrestler • Coached by Scott Braswell.
Personal
Son of Velma and Michael Cooper • One of his brothers attends NC State, a sister attends Meredith College, and another sister lives in Durham • Born Jonathan Javell Cooper on Jan. 19, 1990 • Nickname is “Coop” • People say he looks like actor Michael Clarke Duncan • Would like to appear on the TV show, “Making The Band” • Has four siblings – Gina, Michael, Jasmine and Joshua • Favorite NFL team is the Carolina Panthers • Communications major.
Scouting Report/Player Notes
Cooper is about as good as they come for a guard prospect. He has ideal height, weight, speed, and strength for his position in the NFL, and collegiate production to boot. He was a consensus All-American at the University of North Carolina where he opened up running lanes for one of the most prolific backs in the country (Giovanni Bernard) and an aerial attack that was much improved in 2012. Cooper can be a starting guard in the NFL for years to come if he keeps his head on straight, which to this point hasn’t been a problem. He not only possesses great power and ability to pull, but he is a very athletic big man. When he gets to the NFL, he will likely step in and start immediately, playing at a very high level.
Video Highlights (via YouTube)