If you knew nothing about Cooper Witten other than who his father was, you’d probably be curious to see how he looks on a football field.
If you knew nothing of his lineage but saw the 6-foot-2, 210-pound prospect work out on a football field, you might assess he’s one of the best linebackers in the country in his recruiting class. And you’d be right.
The five-star Texas linebacker worked out at Ohio State’s fourth recruiting camp of the summer on Thursday and easily stood out as the camp’s best backer, excelling in drills and one-on-one competition.
“I learned a lot today,” Witten said after the camp. “James Laurinaitis is a great coach, he's played the position at a high level in the NFL, so he taught me a lot over the course of this camp. A lot of good points to bring back to my high school.”
Witten got a firsthand look at how OSU’s linebackers were built, noticing Sonny Styles’ physique as he enters his fourth season with the Buckeyes.
“Just see how much work it's going to take to compete at this level,” Witten said of his biggest takeaway of the day. “You see Sonny Styles and the way he looks and the work it's going to take to get there. It's motivating coming up to these camps, seeing how much you have to work in order to play here at this level.”
Per 247Sports’ composite rankings, Witten is considered the 17th-best prospect in the country and the No. 1 linebacker in the 2027 recruiting class. Thursday was Witten’s second time on Ohio State's campus, and he was offered by OSU in March.
“It meant a lot,” Witten said of the offer. “It was a huge honor, especially because they just came off a national championship. So yeah, it was a huge honor getting that offer.”
Cooper is the son of legendary NFL tight end Jason Witten, so he’s been around the game’s elite level his entire life. He’s relied on his father for advice and instruction heavily of late, especially considering Jason – an 11-time Pro Bowl tight end for the Dallas Cowboys – is the head coach of Witten’s high school, Liberty Christian (Argyle, Texas).
“He's been able to help me a lot with all the experience he has from college to the NFL,” Cooper said. “He's been able to give me huge pointers. I wouldn't be the player I am without him and his help to me.”
Witten says he’s intrigued by OSU and isn’t deterred about the possibility of playing far from home, saying he just wants to play somewhere he’s valued, where he fits the scheme and where he’d be developed.
“It’s definitely in the top five right now, for sure,” Witten said of OSU, also saying he has significant interest in Notre Dame, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Clemson and Oklahoma. “Just with all the experience coach Laurinaitis has playing at the level, and then (defensive coordinator) Matt Patricia winning Super Bowls in New England. There's no one who has been at a higher level than those two.
“I've had a pretty good relationship with (Laurinaitis). He was able to come down this spring, we were able to come and we were able to talk a little bit and then I came up here for spring practice, so this is my second time here. So we have a pretty good relationship.”
Witten is eyeing a commitment sometime next summer, but for now he’s focused on preparing for his junior year in high school.
“Just being versatile, my speed, being able to cover guys, and also fit the run,” Witten said of his best on-field attributes.
