Former Texas A&M player breaks out on Sunday Night Football: 'Star in the making'

Edgerrin Cooper has breakout performance on Sunday Night Football, shows value of staying another year with Texas A&M football

Going into 2023, most Texas A&M football fans looked at the roster and wondered which players, exactly, could end up being high NFL draft picks. A lot of the discussion was centered around guys like Walter Nolen and Evan Stewart, with a few mentions of Conner Weigman as well.

The strength of that Aggie team, as far as talent goes, was centered around the defensive line, and so that's where a lot of the attention was. What A&M fans didn't know, however, was that there was a player on that roster who was about to completely break out over the course of the season.

The reason that Aggie fans didn't quite expect this was that the player in question, though he had shown some flashes, had been a staple on the team for several years, and no one really thought he was going to take such a big step. But the season he ended up having was one that displayed some undeniable qualities, leading to his draft stock rocketing up.

I am, of course, talking about Edgerrin Cooper. No. 45 for the Maroon and White did so well in 2023 that he was in first-round discussions for a while, though he ended up dropping to the second round. But now that his rookie season is well-underway, he's beginning to look a lot like a guy who should have gone in those first 32 picks.

Green Bay fans are awakening to just how good Cooper is. His combination of physicality and speed is rare; add in his frame, and you have a real weapon at linebacker. He's an extremely versatile weapon for the Packers defense, and his star is truly rising right now.

Congrats on the big game, Edge— here's hoping we continue to see some big plays down the stretch of the season. The Packers are battling for a playoff spot, so it's possible we see Cooper play on the biggest stage here in just a few weeks.