Nebraska Football: Niko Cooper undoubtedly a player to watch

Nebraska football has a special player in Cooper.

When you take a look at the depth that the Nebraska football program has at linebacker, there are many good names to choose from. Especially at the outside linebacker position, there is young talent to be had. One of those names, which I covered on Saturday a little bit, is Niko Cooper. Cooper, a former junior college product figures to make a name for himself in Lincoln.

Cooper is a player that kind of flies under the radar a bit. A three- star recruit, he is not as flashy as some of the other junior college prospects that Nebraska has recruited. Nevertheless, he has a ton of potential and seems to want to work hard.

Last season, he recorded 24 tackles and 2.5 sacks. With nine tackles for a loss and forcing a pair of fumbles, Cooper showed he could do a little bit of everything.  Now, he will look to bring the same work ethic and attitude to Lincoln.

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So far, Cooper has been impressing the coaches. Coming into the season, he brings a high motor, and is a player that can dominate on the edge. That should be able to help Nebraska immensely. That  was something that they were missing last year.

Cooper just is another layer of a defense that has gotten better since last season. The program is now beginning to bring in players that can play at a high level, and Cooper is one of them. He is not going to be the type of player that will win national awards every single year. He is going to be a player that can shoot the gaps, and get in the dirty areas.

Outside linebackers coach Mike Dawson thinks  Nebraska football fans will love what Cooper brings to the program. By all accounts, that makes sense. He seems like a gritty type of player that is willing to make the big play.

"“I think Cornhusker fans are really going to like him,” Dawson said. “Very intense about his football. He’s very prideful about what he’s done so far, and at the same time wanting to get better and better and better.”"

I’m intrigued to see what he brings to the position. On many teams, he would be a starter. On this particular addition of the Nebraska football team, he may have to wait his turn. That is not necessarily a bad thing, as it gives the coaching staff more options to play with.