2018 Football Roster

3 AJ Cooper

  • Position Defensive Back
  • Class Redshirt Senior
  • Height 5-10
  • Weight 175
  • Hometown North Las Vegas, Nev.
  • High School Canyon Springs

Biography

2017: Started for the third year in a row at cornerback and was generally assigned opposing teams' top receivers... Ranked fifth on the team with 65 tackles (50 solo) and led the Raiders with four interceptions and 18 pass break-ups... Had his first two-interception game on Oct. 14 at rival Eastern Oregon... Recorded a season-high 11 to go with an interception on Nov. 11 at Montana Tech... Picked off a pass in SOU's first-round NAIA Championship Series game against Dickinson State on Nov. 18... Forced and recovered a fumble on Oct. 21 against College of Idaho... Also returned five punts for 29 yards.

2016: Became the Raiders' top cornerback option in his second year on the field, starting all 11 games... Made 58 tackles, 50 of which were solo, and led the team with three interceptions that he brought back for 75 yards and seven pass-breakups...  Had three pass-breakups, his first forced fumble, an interception and nine tackles in a 24-20 win over Montana Western on Sept. 17... Collected his second interception on Nov. 5 against MSU-Northern, and his third (returning it 39 yards) on Nov. 12 against Montana Tech -- the same game in which he tallied a career-high 12 tackles... Also returned three punts for a total of 43 yards.

2015: Named the SOU "Rookie of the Year"... Appeared in every game and broke into the starting lineup at cornerback on Oct. 24 against College of Idaho, ultimately making seven starts on the season... Recorded 40 tackles, including 36 solo, and got his first career sack in the NAIA quarterfinals on Nov. 28 at Baker... Blocked top-ranked Morningside's potential game-tying field goal as time expired in the national semifinals on Dec. 5, clinching the Raiders' spot in their second straight title game... Came up with his first career interception on Nov. 7 against Montana Tech.

2014: Redshirted.

Personal: Born on Jan. 26, 1996 in North Las Vegas, Nev... Graduated in 2014 from Canyon Springs High, where he was a two-time all-league performer at defensive back and all-state as a senior... The son of Tiffany and Hunkie; has two older brothers, Nigel and Dirk, two older sisters, Simone and Brianna, and one younger sister, Destini... Majoring in business marketing.

Statistics

Season Statistics

Season Statistics

No statistics available for this season.

Career Statistics

There are no statistics available for this player.

Historical Player Information

  • 2014Freshman

    Defensive Back
    5'9" 170 lbs
  • 13

    2015Redshirt Freshman

    Defensive Back
    5'9" 160 lbs
    13
  • 3

    2016Redshirt Sophomore

    Defensive Back
    5'9" 160 lbs
    3
  • 3

    2017Redshirt Junior

    Defensive Back
    5'9" 170 lbs
    3
  • 3

    2018Redshirt Senior

    Defensive Back
    5'10" 175 lbs
    3