Former Iowa State cornerback Jeremiah Cooper is transferring to Penn State. He has one year of eligibility remaining.

#WEARE ? pic.twitter.com/QmkghmouWP

— Jeremiah Cooper (@jeremiah1cooper) January 11, 2026

Cooper was recruited by Matt Campbell at Iowa State as a three-star recruit in the Class of 2022 out of El Paso, TX, ranked as the No. 68 safety and No. 121 player from Texas, according to the 247Sports Composite. He committed to Iowa State in July 2021, choosing the Cyclones over Texas Tech, SMU, and Baylor.

Despite not being a blue-chip prospect out of high school, Cooper immediately burned his redshirt in 2022, making 32 tackles in nine games and being an honorable mention for Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year.

As a sophomore in 2023, he became one of the best defensive backs in the conference with 45 tackles, 10 passes defended, five interceptions, 1.5 tackles for loss, and a forced fumble. His season, which earned him a spot on the All-Big 12 First Team, also included a pick-six in the season opener against Northern Iowa.

He was an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention in 2024 as a junior in another strong season, but switched from safety to cornerback ahead of 2025. In what would’ve been his final collegiate season, Cooper tore his ACL in practice in mid-September, ending his season, but allowing him to take a redshirt to remain eligible in 2026. In 38 career games at Iowa State, he has made 134 tackles with 22 passes defended, eight interceptions, 4.5 tackles for loss, and a forced fumble.

He entered the transfer portal after the season, ranked as the No. 4 cornerback by On3. He’ll add a veteran presence to a cornerback room that consists of several young returners, including Jahmir Joseph, Daryus Dixson, and Zion Tracy.

Cooper is the 33rd transfer to commit to Penn State and the 22nd player to follow Campbell from Iowa State.

About the Author