Jonathan Cooper facts for kids
Cooper with the Arizona Cardinals in 2014
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| No. 61, 64, 72 | |||||
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| Position: | Guard | ||||
| Personal information | |||||
| Born: | January 19, 1990 Wilmington, North Carolina, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||
| Weight: | 308 lb (140 kg) | ||||
| Career information | |||||
| High school: | John T. Hoggard (Wilmington, North Carolina) |
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| College: | North Carolina (2008–2012) | ||||
| NFL Draft: | 2013 / Round: 1 / Pick: 7 | ||||
| Career history | |||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||
Jonathan Javell Cooper, born on January 19, 1990, is a former professional football player. He played as a guard in the National Football League (NFL). The Arizona Cardinals chose him seventh overall in the 2013 NFL draft. He played college football for the North Carolina Tar Heels, where he earned All-American honors. He also played for the New England Patriots, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers, Washington Redskins, and Oakland Raiders.
Early Life and High School Football
Jonathan Cooper was born in Wilmington, North Carolina. He went to John T. Hoggard High School in Wilmington. There, he played football and also competed in wrestling and track. In football, he mainly played as a guard. Sometimes, he also played as a defensive end.
High School Achievements
In his final year of high school, Jonathan helped his team win the state 4-A championship. His team had a perfect 16–0 record. He was a key player, helping three other players rush for over 600 yards each. Jonathan was even voted the best offensive lineman in his conference.
Besides football, he was a great heavyweight wrestler. He also threw the shot put for the track & field team. His best throw was 14.58 meters (about 47 feet 2 inches). Experts like Rivals.com saw him as a top offensive guard prospect.
College Football Career
Jonathan Cooper received a football scholarship to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He became a very important player for the Tar Heels.
Freshman Year at North Carolina
As a freshman, Jonathan started 10 games as a left guard. He played many snaps, helping his team's offense. Even though he missed a few games due to an ankle injury, he still led the team in "knock-down blocks." These are blocks that knock down a defender. He was named to the All-ACC freshman team.
Sophomore and Junior Seasons
In his second year, Jonathan started all 13 games. He again led the Tar Heels in knock-down blocks. He was one of the best players on the team, earning second-team All-ACC honors. As a junior, he continued to start all 13 games at left guard. He earned second-team All-ACC honors again. He and another player were the first offensive line duo from Carolina to get All-ACC honors since 1993.
Senior Year and All-American Honors
In his senior year, Jonathan started all 12 games. He helped Giovani Bernard become the leading rusher in the ACC. Jonathan was recognized as a unanimous All-American. This means he was chosen by all major All-American teams. He also won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy, given to the best offensive lineman in the ACC. He finished his college career with a school record of 48 starts.
Professional Football Career
Jonathan Cooper was seen as one of the best offensive guards in the 2013 NFL draft. Many thought he would be picked very early.
Joining the Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals picked Jonathan seventh overall in the 2013 NFL draft. This was a very high pick for an offensive guard. He signed a four-year contract with the Cardinals. He was expected to be the starting left guard. However, he broke his left fibula during a preseason game. This injury kept him from playing his first season. Some people believe this injury affected his career.
Playing Time with the Cardinals
In 2014, Jonathan was named the starting left guard. But he struggled with injuries, including a turf toe and a knee injury. He got his first career start in Week 14. He then injured his left wrist in the next game. He missed the last two regular season games and the playoffs.
In 2015, he moved to right guard. He suffered another knee injury in Week 10. He missed two games and then played as a backup. The Cardinals were thinking about moving him to center in 2016.
Moving to Other NFL Teams
On March 15, 2016, Jonathan was traded to the New England Patriots. He was working as a starter there but got a foot injury. This injury caused him to lose his starting spot. The Patriots released him on October 8, 2016.
The Cleveland Browns then claimed him. He played in five games for them, starting three at right guard. He was released by the Browns in December 2016.
Time with the Dallas Cowboys
On January 4, 2017, the Dallas Cowboys signed Jonathan. They had been interested in him since the 2013 draft. He signed a one-year contract with the Cowboys in March 2017. He competed for the left guard position. He also tried playing center. He became the starting left guard in the fourth game of the season. He started a career-high 13 games that year. He injured his left knee in the last game of the season.
Later Career Teams
On March 20, 2018, Jonathan signed with the San Francisco 49ers. He had surgery on his left knee and was limited in training camp. He was released by the 49ers on September 1, 2018.
On November 5, 2018, he signed with the Washington Redskins. He started his first game for them on November 11. In December, he tore his bicep muscle, ending his season. He was placed on the injured reserve list.
On July 15, 2019, Jonathan signed with the Oakland Raiders. He was released by the Raiders on September 17, 2019.
