Slippery Rock offensive lineman Joe Cooper came into the Shrine Bowl as the only Division II player with an invitation. He left the week as a top performer with plenty of buzz for the 2026 NFL Draft.
An All-American at the D2 level, Cooper was a three-year starter for The Rock. At 6’6″ and 323 pounds, he carries NFL-level size and physicality, and he showed at the Shrine Bowl that he can compete against a higher level of competition.
PFSN spoke exclusively with Cooper about staying put at Slippery Rock despite Power 4’s interest in the transfer portal, his preparation for the 2026 NFL Draft, and more.
You had an impressive playing career at Slippery Rock. I know you had Power 4 interest, but chose to stay put. Can you speak to that decision and the importance the program has played for you?
Joe Cooper: The analogy that I’ve given everyone is out of high school, none of those powerful, bigger schools were really interested in me. Now that Slippery Rock put their time and effort into me and created a product that the other schools wanted to buy out, I just didn’t feel it was right to give those other schools the satisfaction to buy out the product that Slippery Rock created. They poured hours into me: blood, sweat, and tears into me, just to develop me into who I am today. I owe a lot to Slippery Rock for making me the man I am today, so I just didn’t feel it was right to let myself get bought out for a little bit of money.
I noticed you got a rushing touchdown this season. Can you speak into what went into that play design?
JC: I have a really good relationship with our offensive coordinator [Joe Marella] here at Slippery Rock. He was a [wide receivers coach when] I first got here. He worked his way up from GA to full-time to offensive coordinator. Ever since he got that job, I was in his ear talking about how I wanted a touchdown. I wanted them to throw me a screen.
Throughout the year, we installed like a couple plays where I was in the backfield, just blocking, and eventually, on senior night, we installed a little run play for me, and I scored. It was a culmination of a couple years of trying to convince him to let me do it.
You made the switch from right tackle over to left tackle in 2024. Can you explain for the average fan what switching sides feels like?
JC: I’ve always thought of myself as a swing tackle. Well, now I guess I’d be playing guard, but I can play both sides, because I like my footwork better on the left side, because I’m right leg dominant for my sets. I like my hands better on the right side, because I can throw a more accurate punch, because I’m right handed. I feel like switching sides is was natural to me. I played left tackle my whole life, so honestly, the switch was moving to right tackle in ’23.
You had the opportunity to go down to the Shrine Bowl. What was that experience like for you?
JC: It was a great experience, being able to play against some good competition and prove that I can compete was a was my main reason for going, and I think I did well showing that in the later days. My first couple days, it was an adjustment.
Obviously, the game was a little quicker when you got everybody’s best player there, but other than that, it was really cool. There was a lot of good seminars, and I got to play football again, so that’s always great.
You were the only D2 player at the Shrine Bowl. How did it feel to represent not only Slippery Rock, but all of Division II?
JC: To represent the division is pretty cool. I think there’s a lot of good players in Division II.
Sometimes, you can’t have all the good players there, so to be able to represent was a was pretty big for me, and I hope I did a good job of that.
How has the pre-draft process been for you?
JC: It’s been good. I mean, it’s kind of just playing football. I’m just working out and doing everything the same. It’s just a lot of more people know my name than before.
Especially after the Shrine Bowl, I’m sure it’s gotta be cool to feel some of that extra national spotlight.
JC: Yeah, it is really cool, but I try and stay level-headed. I always live by the statement that it’s not a reality until it is. I got to keep working towards becoming an NFL offensive lineman, rather than expect it.
How do you like to spend your free time outside of football?
JC: I’m a golfer. I’m in the car right now; I pulled over on the way back…I went out to the range [before our call]. I’m a golfer, so I like to get out on the course a little bit.
What’s your favorite course you’ve ever played?
JC: I haven’t gotten really to play anything crazy yet, but Treesdale Country Club in Pennsylvania is really cool. It’s down near Pittsburgh; it’s a really hard course. I’m hoping to get out to some cool courses here soon, like some notable ones. I played a little bit in Atlanta when I was down there for training, which was pretty cool to play in the offseason.
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Let’s say I’m an NFL general manager. What would I be getting if I drafted you to my team?
JC: I think you’re getting an extremely hard worker and someone who’s not going to quit. You’re also getting a mean offensive lineman, which is a trait that’s kind of a dying breed.
