Elite 2026 ATH Derrek Cooper commits to Georgia

Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Chaminade Madonna four-star athlete Derrek Cooper has committed to Georgia, he tells On3’s Hayes Fawcett.

The 6-foot, 190-pounder chose the Bulldogs while holding around 20 other Power Four offers.

Cooper is the No. 25 overall prospect and No. 2 athlete in the 2026 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He ranks No. 17 overall in the updated 2026 On300.

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Cooper logged his first visit to Athens in April. The Bulldogs made an instant impact and have now landed his pledge just two months later.

“My visit was great,” Cooper told On3 after the trip. “As soon as I stepped into the building, all the coaches knew my name and they made me feel like a priority. I got to tour the school and football facility and my interest in Georgia is now very high. They might even be my favorite.”

The addition of Cooper gives UGA its second commitment in the 2026 class. He joins Nashville Christian five-star quarterback Jared Curtis, the No. 7 overall prospect and top-ranked signal-caller in the 2026 On3 Industry Ranking.

Derrek Cooper Scouting Summary

On3 scouting and rankings assistant Cody Bellaire writes this of Cooper as a prospect:

“As far as athletes go in the 2026 recruiting cycle, one of the absolute best resides in Hollywood, FL and his name is Derrek Cooper. The two-way star from Chaminade-Madonna Prep is a game-changer at running back and safety on Friday nights. His impressive top-end speed and explosiveness allows him to break long runs at running back and cover every blade of grass in the secondary. He also lights the track on fire as well running 10.88 in the 100m, 22.21 in the 200m and has leapt a personal best 22-foot-7 long jump. Cooper’s ceiling is sky high due to his top-tier athleticism and positional versatility.”