"He compared me to Malik Nabers": Four-star SMU commit Jalen Cooper reveals Notre Dame DC Mike Denbrock's pitch to recruit him

By Maliha

Modified Oct 17, 2024 13:23 GMT

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Four-star wide receiver Jalen Cooper is one of the highest-rated prospects in SMU's 2025 class, which ranks No. 29 in the nation. He committed to the Mustangs back in July, but schools like Notre Dame have continued to pursue him heavily.

Last weekend, Cooper made his first-ever visit to South Bend to watch the Notre Dame Fighting Irish take on Stanford. Marcus Freeman's school trounced the Cardinal with a 49-7 final score. Offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock also rolled out an exciting plan for Jalen Cooper and presented him with an enticing vision for his potential future with the program.

"Denbrock was at LSU before, and he compared me to Malik Nabers," Cooper told Rivals. "Nabers, when he was at LSU, could line up anywhere.

Landing the 6-foot-2, 165-pound prospect would be a big achievement for Notre Dame. In just six games, he has exploded for 612 yards and five touchdowns on only 34 receptions. People within the school made that clear over the weekend, and even beyond the coaching staff, current Notre Dame commits also made a strong case for why Jalen Cooper would be a great fit with the Irish.

“They did express it to me,” Cooper told Irish Sports Daily. “They just came up to me and told me straight-up that think I'll be a great fit here. They want me here."

Notre Dame’s academic reputation also impressed Cooper. He spoke with one of the university’s professors and was thoroughly impressed with their hospitality.

Can Notre Dame flip Jalen Cooper from SMU?

Notre Dame has made Jalen Cooper a top target since offering him in August. When asked by Athlon Sports if a successful visit to Notre Dame could influence his commitment, he has remained open to possibilities:

"Maybe, who knows. They said they're going to roll the red carpet out for me, so we will see."

Cooper mentioned to Irish Sports Daily that he would decide within a week whether to remain committed to SMU or flip to Notre Dame.

Notre Dame's 2025 class witnessed a blow when four-star quarterback Deuce Knight flipped his commitment to Auburn earlier this month. However, the Irish filled up the gap this week by flipping quarterback Black Hebert from Clemson.

The class now ranks No. 13 in the nation with 23 committed players. This cycle still has areas that need improvement, particularly at wide receiver. So far, only three-star recruits Elijah Burress and Jerome Bettis Jr. have committed to this cycle.