Five-star running back Derrek Cooper has continued to include Alabama among his five finalists ahead of his July 12 scheduled commitment, but after Cooper’s fashion statement on Tuesday at the Rivals Five-State Challenge in Indianapolis, Kalen DeBoer and his staff can officially turn their attention elsewhere in the 2026 class.
Though the 6-foot-1 athlete is still considering Alabama, Florida State, Georgia, Miami, and Ohio State, he seems to be telegraphing a move from Hollywood, Florida, to Columbus, Ohio. Cooper wore Ohio State cleats on Tuesday, and though Miami has been considered the frontrunner for much of his recruitment, the Buckeyes are clearly in pole position now.
Blue-chip RB Derrek Cooper competing at the Rivals Five Star Challenge. Has Ohio State cleats on. https://t.co/P1uHzkAgEh pic.twitter.com/h1baKpLLbh
— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong_) June 24, 2025
Derrek Cooper likely off Alabama’s board with Ohio State out front
The good news for the Crimson Tide is that adding Cooper, the No. 30 overall player in the 2026 class, has felt like a long shot for a while now, and DeBoer has other top targets at both positions that he projects to play.
Many see Cooper as a running back, but Alabama just picked up a commitment from four-star Javari Barnett and is still expected to add five-star Ezavier Crowell, one of the top players in the state of Alabama and the No. 33 overall player in the class. Crowell is scheduled to announce his commitment on Thursday, June 26, with the Tide as the clear leaders to add a second running back to the class.
At safety, the other position that programs could see Cooper playing, Alabama has long prioritized five-star Jireh Edwards from Maryland, the No. 2 safety in the country and No. 23 overall player. With Georgia heavily in the mix, Edwards is not as likely to join the Tide as Crowell, but DeBoer and his staff already have three-star Rihyael Kelley committed to the class.
Missing out on Cooper will sting. It always does when a five-star picks up a different program’s hat from the table on commitment day, but after wearing Ohio State cleats on Tuesday, Cooper seems to only need one hat when he makes his announcement on July 12. Alabama will be fine.
The Tide have built major momentum in the 2026 class, which has grown to 10 players and climbed to No. 33 in the country after a recent flurry of commitments, and if Crowell makes it 11 on Thursday, then Cooper could be a complete afterthought when he inevitably chooses the Buckeyes.