ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler just dropped his annual top-10 linebacker rankings, and Green Bay’s Edgerrin Cooper clocked in as the 9th best player at the position. This isn't just some casual list; Fowler polls executives, coaches, scouts, and analysts across the league to get these rankings. For Cooper to land in the top-10 so early in his career is a massive statement.
The Linebacker Landscape: Warner and Everyone Else?
The full top-10 list Fowler released on Tuesday features some serious talent: Fred Warner, Roquan Smith, Carson Schwesinger, Zack Baun, Jack Campbell, Azeez Al-Shaair, Jordyn Brooks, Nick Bolton, Edgerrin Cooper, and Devin Lloyd. What’s wild is that 8 of these 10 guys were actually unranked on at least one person's ballot, meaning there's a real divide on who belongs where, outside of Fred Warner, who only dropped as low as 5th, and Zack Baun at 10th. Fowler himself put it bluntly: it's "healthy Fred Warner and then everyone else." That just emphasizes how much of an accomplishment it is for Cooper to consistently make the cut among this much uncertainty.Cooper's Game: Speed, Instincts, and Serious Stats
When the Packers let Quay Walker walk in free agency, it was clear they had faith in Cooper to anchor that defense, and man, has he delivered. A veteran NFL defensive coach raved about him, saying Cooper "has the size, speed and run-and-hit ability that few have. He can really go." And the stats back it up: his 17 career tackles for loss are the most for a Packers player in their first two seasons since Clay Matthews III put up 35 way back in 2009-10. This 6-foot-2, 229-pound missile forced two fumbles and recovered one in 2025, boasting a 33% run stop win rate. His 4.51-second 40-yard dash is obviously electric, but it's not just pure speed. A high-ranking AFC official noted, "It’s his mind. He sees it and can anticipate." At 25 years old, Cooper is also one of the youngest on the list, with only Carson Schwesinger, the 23-year-old Defensive Rookie of the Year, being younger.Moving On From Walker, Looking to Franklin
The Packers definitely aren't resting on their laurels, even with Cooper's rise. They let Quay Walker hit free agency this offseason, and he ended up with the Raiders. The good news is they'll probably snag a fifth-round compensatory pick in 2027 because of it. Walker himself made the honorable mention list, with an NFC assistant coach noting that "The light finally came on for him last year. I thought he diagnosed the run game better than in the past. He has always been fast, long and can hit." With Walker gone, another Packer linebacker, Zaire Franklin, is expected to step into that Mike linebacker spot for 2026, having made the "also receiving votes" tier on Fowler's list. That's a lot of talent in that linebacker room! As we look towards the upcoming season, seeing Cooper ranked this high just tells you what kind of player he's become. He's a legitimate star, and the momentum from this kind of recognition could propel him, and the entire defense, to an even crazier level this year. You gotta be hyped for what's coming!This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.