Pharoh Cooper eager for chance to shine at NFL Combine
Nearly 300 former college football players will have the most important job interview of their lives this week in Indianapolis.
Pharoh Cooper is having mixed emotions about that at the moment.
“Right now, I’m excited, but I know once I get there I will be a little nervous,” said Cooper, the former South Carolina wide receiver who is expected to be the Gamecocks’ most coveted pick in the this year’s NFL Draft.
Cooper will fly Tuesday from Phoenix, Ariz., where he’s trained for the combine since Jan. 1, to begin what will be four days of medical exams, psychological testing, physical assessments and interviews with teams and the media. He has been preparing for all of that at an EXOS training facility for the last six weeks.
“The biggest thing they have said is really just carry yourself like a pro already, just as far as how you respond to answers, how you carry yourself,” Cooper said. “The on-field stuff will take care of itself.”
Cooper will be joined in Indianapolis by former teammates tight end Jerell Adams, offensive tackle Brandon Shell and running back Brandon Wilds.
Former Clemson players cornerback Mackensie Alexander, defensive ends Kevin Dodd and Shaq Lawson, linebacker B.J. Goodson, safeties T.J. Green and Jayron Kearse, wide receiver Charone Peak and defensive tackle D. J. Reader.
South Carolina State defensive tackle Javon Hargrave and tight end Temarrick Hemingway also will attend.
Pharoh Cooper’s goals this week
A look at former South Carolina wide receiver Pharoh Cooper (5-11, 208) heading into this week’s NFL Combine:
Key college stats
Freshman All-SEC as an all-purpose back and returner (359 kick return yards). All-SEC WR as a sophomore (69 catches, 1,136 yards, 9 TDs) and junior (66, 973, 9).
This week’s goals
Event | Combine Average | Cooper’s Goal |
40-yard dash | 4.55 | Low 4.5s, high 4.4s |
Bench Press | 15.4 | 16 |
Vertical Jump | 35 | 33 to 36 |
Broad Jump | 10-0 | 9-6 to 10 |
3-cone drill | 6.92 | 6.9 |
Shuttle run | 4.25 | 4.1 |
NFL Combine
When: Tuesday-Feb. 29
Where: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis
TV: NFL Network
USC invitees: WR Pharoh Cooper, TE Jerell Adams, T Brandon Shell, RB Brandon Wilds
Clemson invitees: WR Charone Peake, DE Shaq Lawson, DE Kevin Dodd, DT D.J. Reader, LB B.J. Goodson, S Jayron Kearse, S T.J. Green and CB Mackensie Alexander
This story was originally published February 20, 2016 at 10:14 PM with the headline "Pharoh Cooper eager for chance to shine at NFL Combine."