'20 MO WR (FR) - Mookie Cooper (Transfer to Missouri)

Mookie Cooper focused on Ohio State after ruled ineligible
The ruling that Mookie Cooper feared was coming finally did: The Buckeyes 4-star wide receiver commit has been ruled ineligible by the state of Missouri following his off-season transfer to Pattonville Senior (St. Louis) High School.

“Yeah, they ruled me ineligible,” Cooper told Lettermen Row. “I will not be playing my senior season. My old school said the transfer was just for athletic reasons.”

No matter the reasons for the transfers — in this case, it was for the chance to graduate early and subsequently enroll early at Ohio State — Cooper’s case is similar to a number of them around the country right now. Private schools like Trinity Catholic, the powerhouse football program Cooper left, usually have a different class-load requirement for graduation and have not been helpful for players in his position. Some schools, like Providence Day in Charlotte (N.C.), have begun to allow its students to make that move, which is why Jacolbe Cowan will be the first player in his school’s history to graduate early.

That doesn’t matter now for Cooper, though, and will be ineligible this fall. Rather than lamenting the outcome as a measure of bad luck, the 5-foot-9, 195-pound Cooper intends to take the negativity and turn it on its head: He’s going to be ready for Ohio State in January.

“Ohio State has told me I’m still a Buckeye and nothing has changed for them,” he said. “They want to make sure I’m getting my work in, though, and told me that they can’t wait for me to get there. I mean, it’s crazy but I’m just going to work. I’ll be working out five days a week in different forms. I just left a workout now.”

Without a chance to play for his high school team, Cooper has been focused on watching the Buckeyes and learning their offense from afar. He’s been impressed by what he’s seen to this point and believes he can contribute right away as a freshman.


“I can see that right now there’s no player there like me with my style of play,” he said. “And I think they’re excited to have me there and see me take off with the offense. It’s already the best offense in the country.”

Cooper has talked to Ohio State coaches about his role, a role that will include him lined up in the backfield, in the slot and out wide at times.

“I’ve played running back, back in my freshman year,” he said. “They have mentioned me coming out of the backfield on jet sweeps or motioning into it at times. I feel more comfortable at slot receiver now, but whatever I’m asked to do it won’t be a problem.”

For a young man who’s had his final year of high school football taken from him, Cooper is taking everything in stride. He’ll return to Ohio State for the game against Wisconsin next week and is just trying to remain optimistic about the future.

“I think about this every day, and like I said, it’s crazy,” he said. “But how I see it? It worked out for the best.”

 

COOPER GETS OHIO STATE ELIGIBILITY
Following an offseason transfer between high schools, Mookie Cooper's playing status had been in limbo as awaited a final ruling from the state of Missouri. Ten days ago, he was finally ruled ineligible to play, and since then he has been watching and learning more Buckeyes football as his collegiate future awaits.

On Friday morning, Cooper learned he had been handed down a much better decision for his future, as Ohio State officially accepted him into the university.

Cooper won't have to worry about that anymore, and he can enjoy his visit to Columbus this weekend even more.

 

The next trip to Ohio State is set for Mookie Cooper.

There’s a big game in Columbus that day, sources say. https://t.co/PTW7W3nicj

— Jeremy Birmingham (@Birm) November 6, 2019

 

Ohio State’s 2019 Early Signing Period Profile: Four-star WR Mookie Cooper (@uheardof5): https://t.co/TTLkTXLCEI pic.twitter.com/EaOL6pz01W

— Buckeye Sports Bulletin (@Buckeye_Sports) December 12, 2019

 

Signed: Mookie Cooper brings explosive speed and shiftiness to Columbus that gives him the upside to be an impactful slot receiver in Ohio State's offense. https://t.co/tNRpkJHlzo

— Eleven Warriors (@11W) December 18, 2019

 

Brian Hartline on Mookie Cooper: “A smaller guy, but really stocky. When he goes to block, he tries to knock you out.”

 

Last spring, St. Louis area star Mookie Cooper @uheardof5 became a player that the #Buckeyes simply had to have: https://t.co/9znvHO2SqQ

— Marc Givler (@MarcGivler) December 18, 2019

 

Teriyon Cooper (@uheardof5) had to sit out his senior season due to an unfortunate incident prior to the season. He said it was tough, but he grew from it, and now he's ready to compete at Ohio State for a starting job. @ksdknews pic.twitter.com/fAEx4f2EbW

— Ahmad Hicks (@AhmadHicksTV) December 19, 2019

 

Arrived on campus........

 

With his unique skill set and Ohio State looking for a new weapon at H-back, Mookie Cooper is a player to watch heading into spring practice. His early enrollment could pay off in a big way by the fall.@LettermenRow Question of the Day: https://t.co/KWntBHCEv7

— Austin Ward (@AWardSports) February 6, 2020

 

Not being allowed to play football as a senior in high school, @uheardof5 battled some depression and can’t wait to get back on the field for #OhioState as a freshman (FREE via @davebiddle)https://t.co/DYlu6Rdmkz pic.twitter.com/Sr1wEOZUZj

— Bucknuts (@Bucknuts247) February 7, 2020

 

After sitting out his senior season of high school, Mookie Cooper is ready to make an impact as a Buckeye. https://t.co/0IFPIVFcQi

— Tom Orr (@TomOrr4) February 17, 2020

 

Motivated Mookie Cooper ready to make up for lost time in spring ball https://t.co/yy65t3V9GW

— Lettermen Row (@LettermenRow) February 21, 2020

 

BuckIQ: Mookie Cooper can add explosiveness, versatility for Ohio State https://t.co/vJSJ8t4188

— Lettermen Row (@LettermenRow) May 22, 2020

 

GEE SCOTT JR., WR
MOOKIE COOPER, WR
If they weren’t in the same class as Fleming and Smith-Njigba, Scott and Cooper might be in the first group, as both of them also have more than enough talent to earn playing time early in their Ohio State careers and could emerge as NFL prospects before they exhaust their collegiate eligibility.

Because of how loaded the Buckeyes are with talented wide receivers, though, it is likely that one or two of the freshmen will ultimately end up redshirting, and Scott and Cooper are probably more likely to crack the core rotation in 2021 than they are in 2020. Both could also be candidates to contribute right away on special teams, though, and if they can do that, that could be reason enough for Ohio State to let them play all year long.

We take a look at which Ohio State freshmen are most likely to redshirt and least likely to redshirt, and the factors that could go into redshirt decisions for all 25 newcomers. https://t.co/GmxPCpX2V8 pic.twitter.com/K153J3Sykg

— Eleven Warriors (@11W) June 12, 2020

 

Mookie Cooper “cried for probably like four weeks straight” after he was barred from playing his final season of high school football. But that heartbreak has only made him hungrier to become a playmaker for the Buckeyes as he begins his Ohio State career: https://t.co/uImo5v5lgQ

— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) July 6, 2020

 

Five Ohio State freshmen who can make special teams impact https://t.co/3PmH16CXwK

— Lettermen Row (@LettermenRow) July 29, 2020

WR Mookie Cooper
Mookie Cooper could be the most electric player in the class, but he flew under the radar all year last season after being forced to sit out following a transfer. When he did play in high school, Cooper thrived as a running back, H-back and slot receiver — and he certainly wasn’t afraid to throw impressive blocks when he wasn’t scampering away from defenses for touchdowns. Can he be the athlete to finally become a dynamic punt and kick returner for the Buckeyes? His spring was cut short due to the pandemic, but fielding kicks and returning can be picked up in fall camp. If the Buckeyes don’t want to risk and injury to Garrett Wilson on returns, Cooper could be the guy.

 

“His natural ability to just play football, he does things you really can’t even coach. Mookie is much further along than I, frankly, anticipated.”

Ohio State wide receivers coach Brian Hartline believes freshman WR Mookie Cooper is ahead of schedule.

➡️https://t.co/2DQB3iJelK pic.twitter.com/pkrwmvo2gR

— Big Me Kickoff (@BigMe_Kickoff) September 29, 2020