The Final Cockdown: #11, Pharoh Cooper

Pharoh Cooper

Junior
Wide Receiver
5' 11" / 207 lbs
Havelock, NC

Recruitment

Cooper was designated a 3-star athlete in 2013. He received scholarships offers from East Carolina and N.C. State.

College Career

Played as a true freshman, earning a spot on the Freshman All-SEC team as an all-purpose back and return specialist. Logged 655 all-purpose yards, while his role increased throughout the season and he was also used as a wildcat QB, most notably against Arkansas. A first-team All-SEC selection in 2014, Cooper finished the season second among SEC receivers with 1,136 receiving yards and third in total receptions with 69. He totaled nine TD passes, two rushing scores, and threw for two more.

2015 Outlook

Coming off of his breakout sophomore season, Cooper was named to the second-team offense in the Preseason All-SEC poll, despite logging more receiving yards and touchdowns than first team-selections Laquon Treadwell (Ole Miss) and Duke Williams (Auburn). Cooper appeared to address the snub last month via twitter, but seems to be treating all the preseason chatter as motivation for the fall.

Cooper is clearly the number one receiver for the Gamecocks this year, and arguably their biggest play maker--he's reeled off five plays of 70 or more yards in just 24 games (13 starts) and should continue to do it all on offense again this year. You can bet on Spurrier trying to get the ball in his hands at every opportunity, and I'm looking forward to the schemes the coaching staff come up with to do so. If the Gamecock's find another legitimate receiving threat, he could have a truly special season. Bottom line, Cooper will be fun to watch--provided you are not an opposing team's defensive coordinator.

Trivia

It's well known by now that Cooper wasn't billed as a prototypical receiver and was originally recruited to Columbia to play defensive back. Which former Gamecock standout and NFL first-round pick was Cooper emulating with his original athletic plans?