Pharoh Cooper discusses how playing in the SEC helped him reach the Pro Bowl
By Adam Spencer
Published:
Former South Carolina star Pharoh Cooper hasn’t made a huge impact in the NFL as a receiver, but he has found a nice niche for himself with the Los Angeles Rams.
In fact, in 2017, he made it to the Pro Bowl as a return specialist. Last year, he had an NFL-best 27.4-yard kickoff return average, taking one kickoff back for a touchdown.
During a recent stop in Columbia, Cooper credited the SEC’s competitiveness for giving him the skills necessary to compete at the NFL level (via 247Sports):
“Playing in the SEC installs toughness and competitiveness,” he said. “You need all of that at the next level. That’s what I come from, from Havelock, to South Carolina, always been competitive. I’m just smarter, a more complete player as far as special teams and receiver. I’m just out there doing my job. It’s more of a business out there as we all know. You just have to go to work every day and secure your job.”
Cooper has turned himself into one of the best return men, so another Pro Bowl wouldn’t be out of the question.
NFL rules keep limiting what kickoff returners can do, but Cooper has made the most of his limited chances.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
