Why New Texas Longhorns RB is No. 1 in Incoming Recruiting Class

The recruiting class of 2026 is all but finalized.

While no one knows exactly how these new players will impact their programs, people will still speculate about the potential impact of blue-chip freshmen.

One Texas Longhorns player recently received such scrutiny, and scouts came back with a glowing review.

ESPN Releases Scouting Report on Texas' Derek Cooper

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian looks on before a game against the Michigan Wolverines | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

ESPN's Craig Haubert and Tom Luginbill put out an article scouting the top two players at each position in the class of 2026, according to Sports Center's Next rankings.

One player they looked at was incoming Texas Longhorn Derrek Cooper, the No. 1 running back and No. 20 player in the class.

Haubert and Luginbill cited Cooper's do-it-all ability, natural feel as a runner and overall explosive ability in their report on the Chaminade-Madonna product.

"Cooper is a dynamic, well-rounded and sturdy back who should develop into a better pass catcher," Haubert and Luginbill wrote in their article. "He has a high football IQ, great work ethic and excellent feel running inside."

They also said that Cooper had the requisite natural strength to break tackles and that that strength would allow him to develop as a pass-blocker.

They affirmed his top-spot, citing more dynamic ability in the open field as the reason he ranked above Michigan's Savion Hiter.

Interestingly, 247 Sports had a different read on Cooper's ability.

247's Director of Scouting Andrew Irvin found that Cooper was much more of a powerback, drawing a comparison to former South Carolina Gamecocks bruiser Raheim Sanders.

Irvin did agree however that Sanders had home-run ability and a high level of flexibility as an athlete.

Texas lost a number of running backs this offseason but restocked by adding two of the top-five backs in the transfer portal in Raleek Brown and Hollywood Smothers.

While Brown and Smothers provide dynamic options for head coach Steve Sarkisian's offense, neither are true powerbacks.

Texas lost downhill runner and pseudo-fullback Jerrick Gibson to the Purdue Boilermakers this offseason, so they could potentially use the powerful Cooper in that vacated role. Or, Sarkisian and his staff, including new runningbacks coach Jabbar Juluke, could side more with ESPN's evaluation of Cooper and groom him behind two of the most explosive runners in college football.

Cooper finished his high school career with 2,408 yards on 8.3 yards per carry and 32 touchdowns on the ground. Now he heads to the 40 acres, giving Sarkisian another highly talented weapon for 2026.