Hoosiers Keep the Ball Rolling, Land TE Out of Miami

Written By Evan McShane (@veryreasonable)

The Sunshine Pipeline delivered yet again. Gary Cooper, a tight end from Columbus High School in Miami, Florida, committed to Indiana University earlier today. News of Cooper’s commitment arrived on what turned out to be a whirlwind of a day for Tom Allen and his staff – the Hoosiers landed four commits, bringing IU’s total 2019 recruiting class to 12. Cooper brings elite athleticism and a ton of intrigue to a position group in need of playmaking ability.

Standing at 6-foot-1, 240-pounds, Gary Cooper’s explosiveness and quickness immediately stand out when watching his film. Although Cooper is graded as a three-star prospect, if you want a true idea of how talented he is, look no further than the scholarship offers he’s received. Cooper earned well over a dozen offers after an outstanding performance at tight end for Columbus High School. The Hoosiers beat out Michigan, Florida, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, and several other schools to get a commitment from Cooper. A lot of teams wanted Cooper, but at the end of the day, it was Indiana.

Cooper’s height isn’t necessarily ideal for a tight end, especially after Hoosier fans just saw Ian Thomas (6-foot-5) head to the NFL, but it doesn’t seem he lets that hinder his game. Cooper’s high school coach, former Indiana football player Chris Merritt had extremely high praise: “He is an explosive athlete,” Merritt told Peegs.com. “He is an elite athlete. I am going on my 18th season as the head coach here, and I’ve got kids in the NFL and I’ve got kids all over the country playing college football, and very rarely have I seen a kid that combines his size, his explosion, and his athletic ability. He is a special athlete.”

Allen and his staff are trying to build a family atmosphere around the football program, and it appears to be paying dividends in recruiting. Cooper joins a 2019 recruiting class filled with mature individuals who want to become better people, not just better football players. That’s not to knock their skill; Indiana’s recruiting class is inching their way toward becoming one of the top-30 best groups in the country. Since Friday, IU has added Jeramy Passmore, Matthew Bedford, Larry Tracy, Michael Katic, and CJ Person. On Tuesday alone, the Hoosiers picked up Sean Wracher, Dorian Jones, KervensBonhomme, and Gary Cooper. Indiana football got better today on and off the field. Everything seems to be trending in the right direction for Allen and the IU football program.