MIAMI GARDENS – Growing up in Fort Lauderdale and starring at the youth football level, there were always signs that Derrek Cooper would one day be a different level player.
From his beginning as a freshman and sophomore at Cardinal Gibbons High School right through to last year when he made the move south to Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna Prep and helped lead the Lions to a 1A state championship.
On Tuesday night in front of family, friends and coaches at Hard Rock Stadium, Cooper, who is headed to the University of Texas, was named the winner of the prestigious 2025 Nat Moore Trophy.
Capturing the award over Justice Fitzpatrick (Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas), Calvin Russell III (Miami Northwestern) and Brandon Kinsey (Miami Central), the No. 1 rated Class of 2026 senior in the state by Prep Redzone Florida joins some impressive winners of this award – such as Malachi Toney (University of Miami), Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State), Rueben Bain Jr. (University of Miami), Kenyatta Jackson (Ohio State) and Henry Parrish, who played at Ole Miss and the University of Miami.
"I would like to just thank God. Thank God, thank God, man, because my high school journey has been a struggle from the start,” he said, with his mother, father and several family members on stage. “My senior year has been a good year. Coach (Dameon) Jones, I appreciate you, and I'd like to thank everybody.”
A 6’1, 200-pounder who has been compared to one-time Chaminade-Madonna star Jon Beason because he also plays linebacker as well as running back, Cooper received 45 Power 4 offers, before committing to Texas over programs like Ohio State, Miami, Georgia, Alabama and Florida.
"You know, this award will catapult me forward, you know from all the winners that won in the past have gone on to do so well,” he pointed out. “So, this is my journey to start at the University of Texas.”
THE NIGHT ALSO BELONGED TO THE OTHER PLAYERS
While Cooper was announced as the winner, there were certainly no losers on this night. As Cooper will head to Texas, Fitzpatrick (Georgia), Russell Jr. (Syracuse) and Kinsey (Purdue) were all recognized in this live TV event that resembles the Heisman Trophy presentation for college players in New York.
Fitzpatrick was the only defensive player among this year's four finalists, and has quickly emerged as a standout for the powerhouse Raiders, pairing natural talent with a relentless work ethic shaped in part by his family — including older brother and Miami Dolphins star Minkah Fitzpatrick. The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder has recorded 65 career tackles and seven interceptions.
Kinsey was a huge addition to the Rockets, who is known for his explosive playmaking ability. He came over from Miami Immaculata LaSalle where he not only made an impact on the football field, but also a tremendous student in the classroom.
Russell III, who was one of the most impressive young prospects in decades, came to play for the Bulls as an elite two-way (football, basketball) prospect and built his reputation on performing under pressure, a mentality he says has fueled him since ninth grade.
Now a senior and widely regarded as one of the top players in South Florida and the nation, Russell credits his rise to Miami's hyper-competitive football culture, relentless work ethic and the "dog mentality" he grew up with.
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