The Associated Press released its finalists for NFL Defensive Rookie of The Year, and there was one glaring omission.
Here’s a look at the finalists for the award:
Cooper DeJean, DB, Eagles
Braden Fiske, DE, Rams
Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Eagles
Chop Robinson, LB, Dolphins
Jared Verse, LB, Rams
Notice anyone not on that list?
That’s right, Packers linebacker Edgerrin Cooper, who may have been Green Bay’s best overall defender–especially over the second half of this season, wasn’t among the five finalists.
Cooper, who was twice named Defensive Rookie of The Week, capped his first NFL season with 87 total tackles, with 3.5 sacks, and one interception in 14 games.
Even though Cooper won’t be taking home any hardware as Rookie of The Year, Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley believes that he’s merely scratching the surface of his potential as a disruptive impact presence.
“He’s starting to understand what he’s doing,” Jeff Hafley recently told reporters. “He’s practicing more, he’s stayed healthy, he’s practicing better and he’s proving to us and his teammates that he knows what he’s doing and he can execute at a high level. The more he does that and the better he plays, the more he’ll play.”
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