Texas A&M Aggies' LB Edgerrin Cooper Garners Top National Designation

As the Texas A&M Aggies prepare for their matchup with the Gamecocks on Saturday, there are several defensive players South Carolina will have to account for when game planning.

As the Texas A&M Aggies prepare for their matchup with the Gamecocks on Saturday, there are several defensive players South Carolina will have to account for when game planning.

But one of those standout defensive players was just recognized by Pro Football Focus with the highest grade at his position and might require some extra attention from the Gamecocks' offensive.

Aggies linebacker Edgerrin Cooper was just given a grade of 86.7 by PFF College.

Edgerrin Cooper / USA Today

While the South Carolina offense has faced a number of stout defenses this season, they will be facing an absolute juggernaut in defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin's scheme. That 4-2-5 setup utilizes a linebacker on the outside of the three down linemen that keeps the offense guessing.

Cooper makes matters worse with his athleticism and strength.

This is Cooper's fourth season with the Aggies, and he's on pace for quite a season. He's already registered a career-high in sacks with six and also has a forced fumble to his name. Cooper also leads his team in total tackles with 45 and assists with 22. His 23 solo tackles rank third.

Since arriving at A&M for the 2020 season, the junior Covington, Louisiana native has 166 total tackles with 95 solo. He's also registered six passes defended and 6.5 sacks. He's added two interceptions and two forced fumbles in his three-plus seasons in College Station.

South Carolina will already have a tough go of it on Saturday but add in the Aggies' formidable linebacker corps, and the Gamecocks' offense could have trouble moving the ball and scoring.

The Aggies and Gamecocks meet at Kyle Field on Saturday at 11 a.m. CT on ESPN.