2015 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Washington State DT Xavier Cooper

XAVIER COOPER- 6’3, 293- RS JR.

COMBINE RESULTS: 4.86 40-yard dash, 29 bench press reps, 29” vertical jump, 110” broad jump, 7.23 3-cone drill, 4.37 20-yard shuttle

When he first announced his intention to declare for the NFL Draft with a year of eligibility remaining, Xavier Cooper looked to be a bit misguided, as many of even the most devoted draft analysts had not watched any tape of the Washington State defensive tackle. Upon closer examination of his skill set, though, Cooper looks like a major sleeper who could end up being selected as early as the second round.

Cooper is a skilled pass rusher who is capable of making an impact all across the defensive line. In addition to playing his regular three-technique position at Washington State, he saw rather frequent action on the outside as a traditional defensive end. He’s not exceptionally sturdy and leaves something to be desired against the run, so he probably doesn’t make too much sense as a 5-technique defensive end or as a 4-3 nose tackle, but if a team allows him to do what he does best—rush the quarterback—he’s capable of making a big impact.

Cooper definitely made himself some money last week by delivering a standout performance at the combine. He trailed only Florida State’s Mario Edwards—who like Cooper, is a hybrid end/tackle—among interior defensive linemen in the 40-yard dash, posting an impressive time of 4.86 seconds.

While Cooper may be docked a bit because of his lack of flashiness during his college career, he still is an attractive prospect because of his potential to be an impactful interior pass rusher, and for that reason it would be a surprise to see him still available after the second day of this year’s draft.

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POSITIVES: explosive, quick feet…good hand usage…plays with a good pad level…quick change-of-direction skills, moves well in pursuit…drops hips well when rounding the edge…very versatile, lots of experience playing defensive end in addition to tackle in WSU’s defense.

NEGATIVES: needs to exert better discipline when getting into the backfield, should be settling his feet at heel depth but tends to over-pursue instead…not very active as a run defender…could stand to put on some weight.

2014 Outlook: Cooper had a commendable season in 2014, finishing with five sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss over 12 games. He amassed 37 total tackles, plus four quarterback hits and a pass breakup. Cooper wasn’t even an honorable mention on the All-Pac 12 teams, but that could have been partially due to the fact that Washington State finished 3-9 in 2014, deflecting much of the possible attention that could have been cast upon him if his team had a better record.

Talent Grade: Early-Mid Second Round

Rams Role: The Rams will likely need two defensive tackles this offseason to replace Kendall Langford, who is likely to be released, and Alex Carrington, who probably will not re-sign as a free agent. Cooper might be an interesting fit as a quick, explosive backup for Aaron Donald at the 3-technique position. With that said, the Rams have clearly displayed a preference for defensive tackles who are at least 6-foot-5 and 300 pounds under Jeff Fisher, so Cooper may not fit the profile of the player the Rams are looking for this offseason.

Film Watched: vs. Stanford (2014), vs. Oregon (2014), vs. Oregon (2013), vs. Arizona State (2013)

Next: 2015 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Missouri OL Mitch Morse

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