Counter to that is those guys were practice squad NFL guys at best. Grabbing the cash now was the smart move. Cooper has legit NFL aspirations which adds a twist. I grew up knowing I'd go to ISU, would have chosen them over anyone if I was a D1 athlete. But with NIL even my Cylclone parents would have agreed with taking 6 figures from another school if it couldn't be close to matched.
Jeremiah Cooper NIL representation
- Thread starter CyDegen
- Start date
I love the kid, but is Cooper worth that? Is he a top-10, top-15 S in college football? I honestly don’t know. I don’t know his competition at the position.
For comparison, Nwankpa was the top-rated S in his high school class and a 5-star. He’s a little more well known (or was).
For comparison, Nwankpa was the top-rated S in his high school class and a 5-star. He’s a little more well known (or was).
The thing that is tough is 1% of all HS athletes make it to college football, and 1% of those college studs make it to the NFL. Therefore, if you arent one of those 1%, it makes more sense to get the money while you are in college. This is where the NIL is used as a benefit for these kids.
That being said, I think ISU has a roster full of "potential" NFL talent, and fringe guys like Cooper, Verdon, Higgins, Noel, etc actually hurt themselves by having to go somewhere else and learn a completely new system.
I would love to see ISU keep some of the highly rated WR recruits that they have snagged over the last few years too, as I think with this new offensive approach, it will be possible to put up some big numbers for some of them!
- Mar 27, 2006
- 42,737
- 33,751
- 113
I hope we're not hanging our hat on a first year player drafted in the 7th round, an undrafted free agent from 10 years ago, and Ellis Hobbs, who was decent, but played a long time ago and is most known for giving up the winning touchdown in the Superbowl to Plaxico Burress.
I love all of those guys as great Cyclones, but they're not moving the needle much when it comes to selling our ability to get defensive backs in the NFL.
For reference, Texas tech has had more defensive backs drafted over the same time (Ellis Hobbs til now) period than we have. They don't have much to hang their hat on either, but it's better than Iowa State.
Yeah I think I was reading whatever was posted wrong or was confused. Apparently they paid one DB that much - Nwankpa.
How do you know we're last? I'm not claiming we're not, I'm doubting whether any of us know for sure. Blum might have a better idea, but I doubt even he knows for sure. The collectives each school has aren't the only NIL money in play.
We don’t really have any position to sell when it comes to NFL. I feel like there was gap between the end of the Ellis Hobbs/Seneca times to now where there were years when we didn’t have any players in the NFL?
Both of our DB coaches have some ties to the NFL. I think it also helps that we have had recent success with Breece, Brock, Will and X. Gives the program more credibility than it had for many years.
It was posted in a different thread somewhere. Maybe someone in here can help with that?
You sure the schools aren't sharing it? I don't think there is anything stopping coaches or school employees from donating to the We Will collective, nor should there be.
They have had 3 drafted to our 2. Not like its a night and day difference. Also, FWIW, ISU's have had better NFL careers. Not sure how you want to look at that. I do agree, that they do not exactly move the needle much however
There was something from a few years back (I think 2019) that one of the new B12 schools put out. Showed athletic dept donor $$ (not NIL) and ISU was last, and farrrrr behind the ones at the top. And that was including all the G5 additions I believe
While I agree, it most certainly wont happen... any of these... Governors/Regents/Congress... or anyone else, will just get on the take rather than make any changes.
So more money from the fans pockets. That's the only certainty. Obviously we do not know the tipping point that will turn fans $$$ off, but a tipping point is there at some unknown level.
Agree with the learning a new system piece, that's what I was getting at. Cooper is the only on that list that will play a down in the NFL.
I still remember after McDonald’s freshman year he was trying to host a camp here and it claimed “ future NFL player”… he’s barely played since leaving.
