Former FSU Defensive Tackle Takes Top-30 Visit to Seattle Seahawks

This is a huge opportunity for the former Seminole ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft.

The 2023 NFL Draft is scheduled to begin two weeks from today and that means teams around the league are working at a furious pace to round out their boards. Over the last couple of weeks, franchises have been conducting top-30 visits with potential prospects. 

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Typically, the purpose of these visits is for teams to bring in up to 30 players to their facilities to get a closer look at them prior to the draft. The process can include a variety of different things including interviews, meetings, and a physical. It's a crucial tool for teams that have also been monitoring prospects during all-star games, the combine, and pro days.

Earlier this week, KPRC2's Aaron Wilson reported that former Florida State defensive tackle Robert Cooper was scheduled to take a top-30 visit to the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks are in the process of overhauling their defensive line after disappointing results last season.

This is a huge opportunity for Cooper, who had some NFL buzz prior to the season before turning in a quiet senior campaign. The Georgia native revealed prior to Florida State's Pro Day that he played through a shoulder injury in 2022 and underwent surgery following his participation in the Hula Bowl in January.

Cooper was unable to work out during Pro Day while he recovers from the injury, estimating that he was roughly 70% and had eight to ten more weeks of rehab remaining. The Seahawks will probably take an extensive look at his shoulder during the physical part of the visit.

At this point, Cooper is expected to be an undrafted free agent. However, that's not an end-all-be-all scenario. Last season, former Seminoles such as running back Jashaun Corbin and defensive end Keir Thomas latched on with NFL franchises after going undrafted. Both of them ended up being promoted to the 53-man roster at different points of the year.

The 6-foot-2, 335-pound defensive tackle concluded his college career by being named a back-to-back All-ACC honorable mention. During his five years at Florida State, Cooper totaled 123 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, three pass deflections, and a fumble recovery in 57 games, with 41 starts.

Cooper recorded a career-high eight tackles, two tackles for loss, and one sack in a victory against Syracuse in 2019.

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