Already in the Oklahoma Sooners' own backyard, Cooper Hooker went directly to Norman to get OU's attention.
According to media that attended OU's elite camp on Thursday, Hooker, from Salina, Oklahoma, was the greatest standout and biggest surprise of the day.
Salina, Oklahoma's Cooper Hooker put on a show at OU's camp
Hooker is as under-the-radar as they get playing for the Class 2A-II Wildcats. He's overlooked while listed at only 5-foot-9 and 155 pounds. He's also unrated by every major recruiting service as part of the 2027 class.
So far, Hooker has offers from UConn, Georgetown and Georgia State, according to his X account. He's been visiting camps across the country already this summer to help improve his stock before his junior campaign at Salina. After being at OU on Thursday, he was already at TCU's camp the next day.
Last season as a junior, Hooker had 625 total yards and seven total touchdowns, according to MaxPreps, while his time was limited because of a broken fibula. As a freshman, he caught 39 passes for 727 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Despite his size, Cooper has stood out with the things he can control like his speed, footwork and hands. According to Sooners On SI, Cooper even got high praise from four-star quarterback Peyton "Pop" Houston, who was at OU's elite camp and is the Sooners' top QB target in the 2027 class.
“He first caught my eye when we were doing routes on air,” Houston told Sooners on SI. “He had run under a ball. That kid’s different. You can tell how some receivers come out of the break that they’re going to be different. First one, he just ran a slot fade and I knew he was different.”
Because of his stature and going under-recruited, Hooker immediately draws comparisons to OU's Drake Stoops and Jacob Jordan. Jordan exploded onto the scene last season for the Sooners as a walk-on freshman while OU battled through multiple injuries at receiver.
Jordan finished the season with 27 receptions for 234 yards and a TD. In his debut against South Carolina, Jordan had six catches and 86 receiving yards.
Also listed at 5-foot-9, Jordan also first caught OU coach Brent Venables' attention at a camp when he was so impressive that defensive backs refused to cover him during drills.
The Sooners handed out several offers after Thursday's camp, but not to Hooker yet.
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