Jonathon Cooper was drafted in the seventh round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. A two-year captain and veteran of 45 games for the Buckeyes, he was the first player ever selected to wear the “Block O” jersey.
Ohio State Overview
• Two-time Ohio State team captain
• Graduated with his consumer and family financial studies
• Played the best football of his career as a redshirt senior, earning second-team All-America honors by the AFCA
• Two-time academic all-Big Ten Conference honoree
• First Buckeye chosen to wear the “Block O” jersey for character and selfless, player-driven leadership qualities
• Two-time all-Big Ten honoree, including third-team in 2020
• Played in 45 career games and made 25 starts
• Recorded 75 career tackles with 15 TFLs and 10 quarterback sacks plus two pass break-ups
• Also had two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and a blocked kick
• Was limited to just four games due to injury as a true senior in 2019 and elected to redshirt
• A team captain, he started all four games that he played in 2019 – at Nebraska, vs. Michigan State, at Northwestern and at Michigan
• Produced six tackles and one sack in those four contests
• In 2018, he started 13 games, made 25 tackles, had 6.5 TFLs and earned honorable mention all-conference honors
• Also recovered a fumble and had a blocked extra point attempt in the Tulane game
• In 2017, playing alongside four defensive ends who would be drafted, Cooper played in all 14 games and had 15 tackles and three TFLs
• Had a personal-best two quarterback sacks vs. Illinois
• Played in six games as a true freshman in 2016, including the College Football Playoff semifinals vs. Clemson
• Had his first quarterback sack in the win over Maryland
• A member of the 2016 recruiting class, he enrolled in classes at Ohio State in January 2016
• Is majoring in consumer & family financial services.
Notable Note
• Cooper was a part of a Buckeyes Go International service-learning program this summer and spent a week in Costa Rica
• The 15 Ohio State student-athlete facilitated sports activities with local youth, worked at a food bank, participated in a beach clean-up and engaged in cultural immersion and educational opportunities.
Honors & Awards
2020: AFCHA second-team All-American
Third-team All-Big Ten
Team captain
2019: Team captain
2018: Academic All-Big Ten Conference, honorable mention all-Big Ten (coaches and media)
2017: Academic All-Big Ten, OSU Scholar-Athlete
More on Jonathon
• Cooper came to Ohio State rated as a 5-star prospect by 247Sports and considered one of the Top 50 players in the nation by that organization (No. 25 national ranking) and Scout (No. 35 overall)
• He was listed as one of the Top 5 defensive ends in this class, with 247Sports ranking him as the No. 2 weak-side end and with Rivals and Scout rating him the No. 5 defensive end
• Was named to the All-USA Ohio football team and the state defensive player of the year by USA Today and was first-team Associated Press all-state as a senior
• Helped Lincoln, coached by Bruce Ward, to a 7-4 season in 2015 and a berth in the Ohio state playoffs
• Is the son of Jessica and Jude Moorman