Texas football recruiting: Derrek Cooper, Florida's top-ranked recruit, commits

One of the premier talents in the country is headed to Austin.

Derrek Cooper, the No. 1 overall player in the USA TODAY Florida Top 100, announced his commitment to Texas on Sunday evening.

Cooper named the Longhorns over Ohio State, Georgia, Florida State, and his Hometown Miami Hurricanes. The Chaminade-Madonna running back is a composite 5-star and the No. 2 ATH in the country (247Sports).

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Cooper rushed for 905 yards and 13 touchdowns on 124 carries as a junior for the Lions. He added 156 yards and a score on nine catches, plus 10.0 TFL, 4.0 sacks, four pass breakups, and an interception on the other side of the ball.

He's shined on the camp circuit this offseason, earning the running backs MVP at the Rivals 5-star camp and an invite to the 2025 Under Armour All-American game.

Cooper becomes one of the highest ranked commit in the Longhorns class for the 2026 cycle. Teas has closed well in South Florida thus far, and already holds a longtime commitment from American Heritage's Dia Bell (No. 1 QB in the state) and just recently flipped Northwestern's James Johnson (No. 1 DL in the state) from Texas.

Who is Derrek Cooper, X football commit?

School: Chaminade-Madonna 

Commitment: Texas

Height, Weight: 6-foot-2, 205 pounds

2024 Stats: 124 carries, 905 yards, 13 TDs, 9 catches, 156 receiving yards, 1 TD (MaxPreps)

Honors: 2025 Under Armour All-America Game, Rivals 5-star running backs MVP

USA Today Florida Network Ranking: No. 1 (No. 1 running back) 

247Sports Composite: 5 star, No. 2 player in Florida, No. 2 ATH in the nation

Scouting report: Cooper cemented himself as the crown jewel of the 2026 class after averaging 7.6 yards per carry in his junior campaign. There are no major flaws in Cooper’s game. He is a powerful runner that’s difficult to tackle, but he also has unmatched acceleration and hits the second level quickly. Linebackers struggle to bring him down, and defensive backs struggle to keep up with him in the open field. His elite toolkit has made him a high priority for schools like Miami, Ohio State, Georgia, and Alabama.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Derrek Cooper, No. 1 overall recruit in Florida, commits to Texas