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The Rice Raiders football team has a notable alumnus in its recent history as Marcus Cooper from the University of the Incarnate Word attempts to claim his spot in the NFL as an undrafted free agent. Cooper has given himself a chance to get looks by teams at the highest level after a strong career at Rice High School that continued at the collegiate level for Cardinals.
As a 2017 graduate and an impact player for the Raiders, Cooper intended from the very start to carry his impact over to the collegiate level. Before becoming a Cardinal with Incarnate Word, Cooper started his career with the Southeastern Louisiana University Lions where he began his collegiate career with a bang. His first year with the team was as impactful as he could have hoped, leading the team in rushing yards, making program history with the new record for the school’s longest running play with a 91-yard touchdown, and finished the season as a finalist for the Jerry Rice award to go along with some conference awards as well. His hard work was evident in the classroom as well, making the conference Academic team in 2018 and graduating from the school in business administration. After four successful seasons in Louisiana, Cooper took his talents back to Texas to compete for the Incarnate Word University with hopes of continuing his career in football as far as he could take it.
Cooper came into the Cardinals’ football team with a few years of eligibility to work with as a graduate transfer and a redshirt season lost to injury. He took full advantage of his opportunities by showing off his speed and running vision as a staple in the Cardinals’ offense for two full seasons. His first season with the team, he rushed for nearly 600 yards and finished as the team’s second-leading rusher in 2021. He also scored eight touchdowns on the ground and 197 more yards through the air. Cooper had his breakout season for UIW this past Fall, racking up more than 14 hundred yards on the ground and scoring 12 touchdowns as he helped the Cardinals reach the top of the conference. With his final statement made for his collegiate career with a strong final season and a master’s degree in sports management, Cooper put himself on the radar of some NFL teams after an impressive pro day that garnered attention for the running back.
Despite going undrafted in the recent NFL draft, Cooper has received interest from the likes of the Seahawks who signed him to an undrafted free agent spot on April 30, as well as the Jets who are the most recent team to take a flyer on the prolific runner. As Cooper battles for a place amongst the world’s best football players, his journey in football is likely to continue on long beyond his playing days.
