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Broncos coach Vic Fangio describes potential role for Ohio State DE Jonathon Cooper

Ryan Williamson

By Ryan Williamson

Published:

Jonathon Cooper might be the most talked about seventh-round pick from this year’s draft as we head toward the start of the 2021 NFL regular season.

Well, it turns out all the talk was for good reason.

Besides having a tremendous back story and overcoming some serious medical issues, Cooper has shown himself to be a player worthy of being on an NFL roster.

Though NFL rosters are not finalized yet, the words coming from Broncos coach Vic Fangio signal that the former Buckeye will be rocking orange and blue when the season starts.

“You know, we’re expecting him to be a rotational guy for us behind Bradley and Von, and hopefully he did some good in the special team because we’re going to need him there,” Fangio told reporters on Saturday.

Cooper has been a guy people in the Mile High City have been buzzing about since training camp opened. He’s lived up to the hype through two preseason games. In the opener against the Vikings, Cooper finished with three tackles, including one for a loss.

On Saturday, Cooper took his game to another level as he finished with three tackles and two sacks while also forcing a fumble.

As Fangio mentioned in his quotes, Cooper certainly isn’t going to see time as the starter. That would’ve been quite the feat to beat out Bradley Chubb and Von Miller for a starting spot on this Denver squad. But he’ll certainly get chances if he stays in that role to rotate in and out and make appearances on special teams.

It’s rare to put underdog and former Ohio State standout in the same sentence, but this time it’s actually plausible.

Ryan Williamson