In the final UDFA profile of the Green Bay Packers’ 2025 class, Minnesota guard Tyler Cooper goes under the microscope.
He is something of an outlier for Green Bay, as they do not usually bring in true guard prospects, as Cooper was in college, although they are less strict on their usual preferences in undrafted free agency.
A two-year starter for the Golden Gophers, Cooper played over 1,000 snaps at left guard as well as 265 at right guard. In terms of physical profile, Cooper fits the mold the Packers have usually gone for.
At 6-5 even and 302 pounds, he is not a man mountain, but aesthetically, owns a thick, well put together body. In pre-draft testing, Cooper posted an 8.43 Relative Athletic Score (RAS) and has a well-rounded profile, featuring a “great” explosion grade as well as “good” speed and agility grades.
In his two years as a starter, Cooper showed both an ability to be a strong pass protector and run blocker, just not at the same time.
His best season in pass pro was 2023, in which he earned an 83.3 PFF pass pro grade, which ranked 21st among FBS guards. Cooper only allowed five pressures, one hit and zero sacks that season, earning a pass pro efficiency grade which ranked 14th in the FBS.
In 2024, run blocking was more his strength, earning a 77.4 PFF run grade. On tape, there is plenty in both phases to convince the Packers he was worth taking a flier on and could potentially develop into a well-rounded guard.
Like a lot of Packers offensive linemen, Cooper’s best assets are his feet and movement skills.
As a pass protector, he keeps his feet firing and moves them smoothly, which allows him to move one way then the other off the snap, redirecting to get his hands on multiple defenders, a key skill for a guard.
He keeps his feet nice and wide in his stance and when engaged with an opponent, is able to keep adjusting and bouncing his feet to stay anchored.
Off the snap, Cooper is able to move his feet to engage with his target if they switch gaps, showing the urgency and quickness to get where he needs to go and get in the way.
Versus Penn State in 2024, he was able to catch Abdul Carter as he stunted from outside to in and wash him down the line away from danger.
Up against a big man in Iowa’s Yahya Black, he showed he can hold up against power, slowing the momentum of his bull rush, and he flashes the ability to blunt an opponents’ initial punch and then get them under control.
His feet and general athleticism also help in the run game, where he has the quickness to get across the shade, flip his hips and wall a defender out of the play. Cooper pairs his movement skills with some power to turn and wall players off to the inside or outside.
If asked to go ‘get’ a defender a gap over, he can get to his landmark and run them down the line. He washes smaller defenders out of run plays easily.
When combining with teammates, he is able to generate movement in the run game, and flashes the ability to do it by himself by getting his hands on an opponent, keeping them inside and using a bit of power.
Cooper is a natural mover and does not commit the cardinal sin of crossing his feet over when asked to pull block. He looks comfortable in space, showing he can latch onto defenders on screens and take them out of the play.
He can block interior defenders on the move laterally, and has the quickness to get up to the second level when the play calls for it.
Crucially for a guard, Cooper plays with focus, good effort and demeanour. He is a fighter, battling and scrapping to get the job done even if it does not look pretty.
Cooper is always scanning for more work and while engaged with one opponent often sticks an arm out to help close any gaps for other defenders to attack.
If an opponent is threatening to make a play on the ball, he can react late and get just enough of them, subtly hooking his arm around their hip drawing a flag. Cooper blocks to the echo of the whistle, leading to him getting his fair share of pancakes. He looks to finish smaller defenders in space.
With only four penalties in his entire college career, all in 2024, he showed discipline and the ability to play with aggression without it becoming a negative.
In terms of weaknesses, Cooper’s biggest issue by far is his hands, which are a real problem at this stage. His hand placement is poor, and when trying to be proactive and punch his hands into an opponent, they get swatted away far too easily and too often.
Defenders get into his chest regularly because he cannot stop them, and they are able to put him in compromised positions from there. Cooper struggles to latch on to opponents and it never feels like he is fully in control.
At the moment, he is much more effective getting his body in the way and plugging space that way rather than hand fighting with defenders. It makes sense he has ended up finding a home at guard, as he is better with neighbors, giving him more margin for error.
When opponents get into Cooper’s chest, they can give him real problems, as he does not have plus power. He gives up ground to power – there are some ugly reps where he gets steamrolled and ends up on the ground – and defenders can wrestle his upper body and throw him off balance.
In the run game, his lack of hand skill means he can struggle to latch on to his target, and even if he does, they can often shed him late in the play to make tackles.
Cooper is not a mauler and does not regularly move defenders off the spot in the run game or remove them from the picture for his running back. When he pull blocks and makes contact with an opponent, he does not pop them.
His aggression can lead to him playing a bit over his toes, lunging and missing his target or ending up on the ground.
He arguably looked past the assignment in front of him at times in search of additional work, when the task at hand is not finished yet. Cooper can also struggle to pick up stunts if they happen later in the play, lacking the top end twitch to recover if he is already committed.
Cooper’s eagerness to finish opponents in the open field is appreciated, but he is going to get flagged for an illegal block in the back here and there. He got away with a few in college, but needs to be more subtle and not just run through the back of an unsuspecting defender.
While he showed a ceiling in both the run and pass game in his two years as a starter, he could not sustain that level of play in either aspect.
His run grade was a less impressive 67.4 in 2023, and although he improved it the following year, his pass pro grade then dropped significantly to 66.3, allowing 10 pressures and three sacks in 2024.
Cooper does not show the skill set to be anything but an interior offensive lineman at the next level, somewhat limiting his versatility.
Overall, Cooper is a well put together, athletic guard with the tools in his feet to be a good pass protector and plays with the mentality required by interior offensive linemen, but his hands are severely underdeveloped and he lacks the power to be a true people mover in the run game.
With good coaching on his hand usage specifically, he could be a serviceable player down the line, but the Packers are unlikely to feel comfortable throwing him into the starting lineup even in an emergency at the moment.
He will likely be on the practice squad in 2025 with an eye towards developing his game and making the roster in future years.