The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMIAN offensive lineman Alex Cooper prepares for the next step on his football journey following his career with the Houston Cougars.

Cooper was one of 19 members of the Cougars’ programme to work out  for representatives from 31 NFL franchises and one CFL franchise at the team’s “Pro Day” on March 26.

The session featured measurements, bench press and jumps in the Elmer Redd Sports Performance Centre in Houston, Texas.

Cooper measured 6’ 3” and 300 pounds with a hand size of 10 3/8”, 34” arms , and an 82 1/2” wingspan. He tested a 28” vertical, broad jump of 8’ 8”, completed the 40 yard dash in 5.24 secs, the three cone drill in 7.7 secs and completed 23 reps of the bench press at 225 pounds.

The Eleuthera native ended his senior season when the No.14 ranked Cougars won 38-24 over the No.9 Florida State Seminoles in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia, on New Year’s Eve.

The Cougars finished 13-1, 7-1 in the American Athletic Conference (AAC) to win the conference under first year head coach Tom Herman. Cooper, was a team co-captain and has started every game for the Cougars this season at right tackle.

One of the anchors on an offensive line which powered the high scoring Cougars’ offence, Cooper was named All-AAC and Phil Steele’s AAC Second Team selections. Cooper started 25 straight games on the Cougars line at various positions, including both tackle spots and right guard. Cooper and his line mates lead a Houston team that is 14th nationally in rushing offence at 240.1 yards per game. Houston’s leader along the line with 892 snaps, Cooper has not allowed a single sack this season and just eight quarterback pressures.

Prior to the season, he had already completed his undergraduate degree and was named to the 2015 Athlon Sports Preseason AAC Third Team.