Jeremiah Cooper Is One of Penn State's Most Important Players Fans Haven't Seen Yet

Penn State faces plenty of change this season, as its roster underwent a complete overhaul following the head-coaching change from James Franklin to Matt Campbell. The Nittany Lions brought in a whopping 55 new players while losing 47 to the transfer portal.

One intriguing newcomer is safety Jeremiah Cooper, who is returning from a torn ACL that he sustained four games into his 2025 campaign at Iowa State. Will Cooper be ready for the 2026 season? Here’s what you should know about the Nittany Lions’ new defensive back, who is returning to a familiar position this season.

Jeremiah Cooper

Position: Safety

Class: Redshirt senior

Height/weight: 6-0, 184

From: El Paso, Texas

Previous school: Iowa State

Iowa State Cyclones defensive back Jeremiah Cooper (4) takes down Cincinnati Bearcats' wide receiver Tony Johnson. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Cooper missed the entirety of spring ball while continuing to recover from the ACL tear he sustained last October. It’s uncertain how ready Cooper will be for training camp, though he said in February that his timetable to return is for the Sept. 5 season-opener against Marshall at Beaver Stadium.

When the redshirt senior does return, he will immediately slot in as one of Penn State’s best defensive players. One of Cooper’s key strengths is his versatility. He played the slot cornerback, outside cornerback and safety positions in college.

Campbell recruited Cooper initially as a safety, a position he played primarily for his first three seasons at Iowa State. Cooper moved to cornerback in the Cyclones' defense before the 2025 season, starting the first four games before sustaining the season-ending injury. Because he played in only four games, Cooper was eligible for a medical redshirt.

“It was amazing,” Cooper said in February of his switch from safety to cornerback. “Just my corner coach at Iowa State, coach [Hank] Poteat, he taught me so much with my two months I was at corner. I can’t ask enough for what he did for me. He changed my game, literally, and he made me think about covering somebody so much more differently just because he has so much input and knowledge of the game.”

“All the technical stuff [I learned from being a corner] is going to carry over to safety,” Cooper added.

Cooper is a veteran, having started 36 games during his four seasons at Iowa State. He intends to carry his elite production to Penn State. Cooper posted 134 tackles, eight interceptions, 22 passes defended and one forced fumble in his four years at Iowa State. He made nine tackles and one interception in four games before his injury last year.

Cooper has been a highly regarded player throughout his college career. He was the Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year in 2022, a first-team All-Big 12 selection in 2023 and an All-Big 12 honorable mention in 2024. Cooper was a Preseason All-Big 12 selection last season before tearing his ACL.

Considering his versatility, Cooper will be quite the asset to Penn State’s defense. According to ESPN, Cooper is one of college football’s top 100 newcomers (ranking 94th as a transfer) this season.

Iowa State Cyclones defensive back Jeremiah Cooper answers questions from the media during 2025 Big 12 Football Media Days. — Iowa State Cyclones defensive back Jeremiah Cooper answers questions from the media during 2025 Big 12 Football Media Days at The Star. | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Penn State safeties coach Deon Broomfield compared Cooper to cornerback Zion Tracy in March, calling both extremely versatile. Cooper’s resume and flexibility make him a candidate to be an early pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.

“He can play corner, he can play nickel, he can play safety,” Broomfield said. “He's been with me in the safety room, learning it, but he's learning nickel. He's learning both safety positions. He’s a guy that, we’re gonna use kind of the same mindset: ‘Where can we plug him to help us the most?’”

Cooper was tied with fellow safety Marcus Neal Jr. as the highest-rated defensive player in the Nittany Lions’ transfer class, according to 247Sports. Overall, he was rated as the 16th-best defensive back in the portal. Luckily for Penn State, Cooper never considered leaving Campbell’s side.

“I never had a thought in my mind of going somewhere else [other than Penn State],” Cooper said. “It was always coach Campbell and his staff, and I just believe in what he’s doing. I always believed in what he was doing, whatever program he was in. That’s something I always wanted to be a part of.”

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