RECRUITING: Wildcats Land Commitment From Highest-Rated High School QB In Program History
(Photo provided by Creyton Cooper)
NAME: Creyton Cooper
HIGH SCHOOL: Lehi High School
POSITION: Quarterback
TOP SCHOOLS: Committed to Weber State (Other interested schools: Dixie State, Eastern Washington, Idaho State, Northern Iowa, Utah State, UNLV)
Last Friday, Weber State landed a commitment from a young man who, according to 247 sports, will become their highest-rated high school quarterback in program history.
Three-star quarterback Creyton Cooper from Lehi, Utah announced his commitment to Weber State on his social media feeds on January 29, and the momentum that the Wildcats have built with this year’s recruiting class just keeps rolling.
Cooper, who stands at 6’3” and weighs 205 pounds, is a gunslinger who has a strong arm, moves well in the pocket and can use his feet to make plays. His eye-catching athleticism helped him stand out as a quarterback/athlete at Lehi High School. He can throw and run, but he was even the Pioneers’ punter, on occasion. His skills helped him catch the eye of recruiters at Dixie State, Eastern Washington, Idaho State, Northern Iowa, Utah State and UNLV.
Yeah, he’s really good.
The Cooper family is no stranger to the spotlight, and certainly isn’t new to someone in the family achieving athletic success.
Cammon Cooper, Creyton’s older brother, was a record-setting quarterback at Lehi and is currently playing at Washington State University. Creyton’s father, Cole, you might remember, was the starting quarterback at Weber State from 1999-2000; he ranks 12th highest in Weber State history in passing yards and is seventh all-time in passing touchdowns. Making plays, scoring points and putting up big numbers just runs in the family.
As the son of a former Wildcat quarterback, Creyton Cooper is very familiar with Weber State.
“Growing up I’ve always been to a ton of Weber State games,” Creyton told Weber State Weekly. “My dad went to Weber State. He actually played football and basketball there, he’s a stud. Growing up we went to a ton of the games. Especially recently with Coach (Jay) Hill, they’ve been doing really well. We love going up there and checking it out.”
The fact that he’s been to and knows Weber State and Ogden was only a part of his recruitment, however. He told us, “Family is huge to me. I have a lot of family in Idaho, so Ogden is right in the middle. I love that I’ll be able to have a lot of support. Coach Hill, Coach (Jared) Ursua, Coach (Matt) Hammer are the three main guys who were recruiting me. I love the energy they bring and their ability to connect with people. I’m excited to be a Wildcat and play some football up there and make an impact on and off the field up there.”
Something else that makes the arrangement between Cooper and Weber State feel like the perfect fit is the fact that his best friend, Noah Kjar, is also in this year’s recruiting class. The two future Wildcats grew up playing Little League on the same team, and their relationship grew to the point that the two of them, who attended different high schools, were planning on playing football together one day.
“We talk all the time,” Cooper said of his friendship with Kjar. “Right when he got his offer to Weber, we were talking and we knew that we could make this happen, and we really could be playing college together. Once he committed and signed, we knew we could do this. With him being signed, it was just up to me. Now I’m excited to play with him and get that connection going again. He’s going to be one of the best receivers to go down in Wildcat history and it’s going to be a deadly duo.”
Cooper also went out of his way to mention three other players in this recruiting class – Jayden Ah You, Jack Kelly and Brayden Perry – saying that they are all players he knows, has played with and against, and that he’s excited about what this recruiting class can do at Weber State, even stating, “We have the ability to bring a championship back to Ogden, so that was a big deal.”
Weber State was the first school to make an offer to Cooper, but he took his time making sure that he was going to make the right choice. Things eventually got narrowed down to UNI and Weber State, with UNLV just recently making an offer, but it would be too little too late. His decision to switch out his Pioneer purple and white for Wildcat purple and white boiled down to his inability to visit UNI and see the campus, his familiarity with the Ogden area and the fact that he’d be playing with so many players that he knows and with whom he is comfortable.
When he’s on the field, Cooper sees himself as a playmaker. He trusts his arm, can extend plays with his legs and is not rattled when things in the offense break down. He has a “confident swagger” about him and feels like he can make the most out of any situation, good or bad.
Cooper also prides himself on his competitiveness. “I love to compete,” he said. “I think competition makes you better in everything – doesn’t matter if it’s on the field, weight room or classroom. Give me something and I’m going all out on it.”
When the pads are off and he’s away from the game, Cooper likes doing anything that will keep him active. Spikeball, volleyball, weightlifting and baseball are some of the things that he prefers spending free time on, but he also loves hanging out with his family. He and his grandpa have a favorite local restaurant that they go to once a week. He also enjoys hopping on the Xbox with his pals and getting some gaming in.
He, like his father before him, plans on majoring in business at Weber State, and has set a goal to get his degree in three years.
Cooper, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, is considering serving a two-year mission for his church, but still hasn’t reached a decision. The coaches have let him know that he has a place on this year’s roster if he wants it, but, realizing that this is an incredibly personal decision, have granted him a few weeks’ time to mull it over and do what is best for him.