Jonathon Cooper lasted until the seventh round of the 2021 draft despite a somewhat productive career at Ohio State in which he broke through the Buckeyes’ insane pass-rush depth to show what he could do. He had three sacks and 33 total pressures on just 228 pass-rushing reps in 2020, and he was right there for the picking when the Broncos took him with the 240th overall pick.
Cooper had the same challenge early on in the NFL, as he once again had to break through limited reps to prove that he belonged. It all kicked in last season, as Cooper set career highs in sacks (nine) and total pressures (55) on 421 pass-rushing snaps. Eventually, Cooper tends to prove that he should be playing more often than he is, and he does it against the best possible competition.
The @Broncos had been hoping for EDGE Jonathon Cooper's breakout season, and it happened in 2023. Nine sacks and 55 total pressures. Here he is creating a rare concept — a play in which Penei Sewell doesn't have the advantage. pic.twitter.com/K4fB93jxlm
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) May 23, 2024
