Fall camp is almost here and all eyes are on Penn State football's massive group of transfers, many of who followed head coach Matt Campbell from Ames, Iowa to Happy Valley.
While quarterback Rocco Becht continues to take the spotlight as the top player to watch, and rightfully so considering he's the most experienced college football quarterback this season and is leading the new squad of Nittany Lions in their first season under Campbell, other players shouldn't be slept on.
Among names like tight end Benjamin Brahmer and running back Carson Hansen, safety Jeremiah Cooper is a standout transfer who was a four-star portal player and the No. 6 top transfer Penn State acquired in the offseason.
The Big Ten Huddle posted its preseason Top 100 players in the Big Ten. Naturally, Nittany Lion fans will think Becht, Hansen, and linebacker Tony Rojas as some of the top players from Penn State. Cooper, however, surged to the front of that list ahead of those guys. He was, in fact, the only Nittany Lion featured in the first 50, coming in at No. 22.
Preseason Top 100 Big Ten Football Players for 2026 pic.twitter.com/R5GxpN4Ayt
— The Big Ten Huddle 🎙️ (@TheBigTenHuddle) July 23, 2026
Safety Jeremiah Cooper ranks at No. 22 out of 100 top Big Ten players
Cooper is entering his final year of eligibility as a redshirt senior after spending the last four years at Iowa State. He played in a total of 38 games as a Cyclone from 2022-25, accumulating 134 tackles, 22 passes defended, eight interceptions, 4.5 tackles for loss, and one forced fumble.
In 2025, Cooper suffered a season-ending ACL tear. He made four starts prior to that injury, recording nine tackles, three passes defended, 1.5 tackles for loss, and one interception across those games at cornerback. He previously played safety his first three seasons and will move back to that role at Penn State in 2026.
Heading into the season, Cooper is currently tied sixth in Division I FBS football (active players) in passes defended (30) and tied 10th all-time at Iowa State for career interceptions (eight).
The Nittany Lions lost Zakee Wheatley (NFL), Dejuan Lane (Transfer Portal), and King Mack (Transfer Portal) in the offseason, meaning filling that safety role is critical for defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn. Penn State also brought in Marcus Neal Jr. and Jamison Patton from the Cyclones, but with Cooper having a high ceiling and Campbell making the intentional move back to safety, it's obvious the coaching staff has a lot of faith in Cooper to hold down one of those two spots.
Worst case scenario, Cooper's versatility will be useful. Experience at both positions and the ability to play both effectively will make Penn State's secondary lethal no matter where he is on the field.
The Big Ten Huddle's Top 100 players in the preseason also featured the following:
No. 51: Rocco Becht (QB)
No. 59: Benjamin Brahmer (TE)
No. 75: Tony Rojas (LB)
No. 76: Carson Hansen (RB)
No. 79: Marcus Neal Jr. (S)
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