Iowa State Cyclones Star Jeremiah Cooper Lands on 2026 NFL Draft Prospects Big Board

Iowa State Cyclones star defenisve back Jeremiah Cooper is one of the best players in the 2026 NFL Draft class.

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There is a lot of talent on the Iowa State Cyclones football roster. Unfortunately, injuries have kept some key players from participating on the field for large portions of the season.

One of the players who has dealt with a serious injury is defensive back Jeremiah Cooper. He last appeared in a game for the Cyclones in Week 3 against the Arkansas State Red Wolves.

At some point during the contest, he suffered a knee injury that would ultimately cost him the season. He was announced out for the team’s game against the Arizona Wildcats in Week 5, when head coach Matt Campbell revealed it was a season-ending injury.

That matchup against Arkansas State could very well end up being the last time that Cooper suits up for Iowa State. He could apply for a medical redshirt after playing in only four games, but the NFL could come calling.

Jeremiah Cooper lands on 2026 NFL Draft big board

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The Bleacher Report Scouting Department has the Cyclones star as one of the best players in the 2026 draft class. The cornerback received a grade of 6.9, which places him at No. 128 overall and No. 17 amongst players at his position.

A 6.9 grade means that he is projected as a potential role player and part-time contributor. That evaluation comes with a fourth-round draft grade, just barely missing the third-round grades that start at 7.0 graded players.

Joining him on the Big Board is teammate, Domonique Orange, one of the most dominant defensive tackles in the country.

Had Cooper not suffered a season-ending injury and been able to continue performing at a high level on the field, he would have been a shoo-in as a Day 2 selection, at the very least.

In only four games of action, he compiled nine total tackles, 1.5 of which went for a loss, with one interception and three passes defended. He has been a playmaker throughout his Iowa State career, with eight interceptions and 22 passes defended in 38 career games.

Injury has Jeremiah Cooper flying under radar heading into 2026 NFL Draft

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Cooper was having an excellent season in pass coverage before going down with an injury. The converted safety had allowed only five passes to be completed on him out of 14 attempts, giving up 65 yards.

Not having him in the lineup created a huge void for defensive coordinator Jon Heacock to overcome. It didn’t help when the team’s other star cornerback, Jontez Williams, suffered an injury of his own against the Wildcats and was lost for the season.

The timing of the injury was certainly unfortunate because Cooper was in the midst of what was turning out to be arguably his best season in coverage.

Teams are going to have a lot of interest in him because of his experience playing safety. He can line up all over the defensive backfield, logging 189 snaps as a perimeter corner, 244 as a free safety, 568 in the box and 926 in the slot.

If he can show that his health is improving during the pre-draft process, he has a chance to sneak into the third round.