In his second season with the Mustangs, Cooper is ready to announce himself to the world.
SMU receiver Jalen Cooper had himself a good freshman season with the Mustangs, granted, as a bit-part player.
Cooper would post 321 yards and 2 TDs from 19 receptions, as he proved to be the definition of a chain-mover on offense.
But now, he's looking for more in his second season.
With several players graduating, that means the chance for Cooper to see the field far more often than he did last year, but to be able to do that, he's got to have a good camp this offseason to prove he's worthy.
Of course, every player wants to shine in preseason, and for Cooper, he's had a good offseason.
But that's us talking, what does he think of the work he's put in?
"It's been good, having a lot of fun so far," Cooper said. "We got a whole new receiver group, have a lot more confidence going into it, but yeah, it's been fun overall."
As we mentioned above, there has been a bit of a change to the receiver room for the Mustangs, and you could make the case that Cooper is the No. 1 weapon for Kevin Jennings.
Building chemistry throughout the offseason with Jennings and the other skill-position players is key for Cooper and the Mustangs to get to where they want to go in 2026.
But what does Cooper see in his future for 2026 as a receiver now that others have moved on?
"Limitless opportunities," he said. "I'm not really held back anymore. I can show my true self, show who I am. I made plays here and there, and then I went through a little drought, but I'm going to be consistent on that and show y'all."
So, Cooper is readying himself for a big second season with the Mustangs, and he has the quarterback to get him the ball and the offensive line to make sure his quarterback has the time to get it to him.
There is a lot to like about the Mustangs in 2026, with Rhett Lashlee's team seen as one of the teams to beat in the ACC, and I'd imagine that Cooper and the offense will have a big say in how far SMU goes this season.
