National Scouting Combine Player Spotlight: Cooper Schroeder

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Name: Cooper Schroeder
School: Alderson Broaddus University

Q: How did you get started playing football?

My mom started me out at football when I was 5 years old. I was constantly running around and it was tough for my mom to always keep an eye on me, so she saw football as the answer.

Q: What separates you from all the other athletes trying to become a professional?

A lot of guys want to be a professional football player, it’s their dream, as it is mine. A lot just want the title, to say they made it, to not put all the work in it takes to be at that level. They just want to do enough to feel good about themselves, to stray from their comfort zone here and there, and hope for the best.

I’m a different breed. I know what it takes. Focus, drive, attention to detail, breaking your own goals and expectations, establishing new ones, then breaking those. Sacrifice after sacrifice. Convincing your body that you’re not done yet, knowing how sleep, water intake, nutrition all affect your daily workouts and progress, breaking down the fundamentals to elevate your game even higher. Film study on myself and on others to continuously learn and train. Early mornings, late nights, recover, sleep, always getting after it, believing and falling in love with the process all for this game that I love.

My physicality, route running, knowledge of defensive packages and schemes and how to beat them, ability to catch the tough throws, student mentality on and off the field, heart, passion, and the knowledge and the confidence that no one will outwork me and give what I am and will give to this game. I am not like these other athletes.

Q: Tell us about your college choice, career and what the recruiting process was like.

I chose Alderson Broaddus University (ABU) because that was the only scholarship offer I received out of high school. ABU also had my major area of study in marketing, was far away from home but not too far, and was a unique opportunity to start a football program from scratch. My very first year was also the very first year of the football program. We brought in nearly 180 freshmen that year and after a week we were down to 120. I fell in love with ABU, fell in love with the vision and the direction we were heading. When I had my first practice on the field, there was nothing around us but dirt and hills. My team was told by my head coach to believe and trust in the process- that everything will continuously get better and improve…and it did. I like to think back to that moment and relate it to my training and period of life right now. There’s not a whole lot, but believe and trust in the process and I will get to my goals and to my dreams, just have to trust, believe, and put in the work.

I started every game and every year for AB. I was a four-year captain who currently holds all receiving records for the school in receptions, yards, and touchdowns. I’m excited for those records to get broken because then I know that program is getting better and better. My career stats are 197 receptions, 2,468 yards, and 24 touchdowns. I received honors of BSN All-Super Region 1 3rd Team, All-ECAC 1st Team, All-GMAC 1st Team, Don Hansen NCAA DII All-Super Region 4 1st Team, Don Hansen NCAA DII All-America Team Honorable Mention, USA College Football DII Tight End of the Week against FCS opponent Wagner College. I was invited and started in the FCS Bowl Game and the FBS Tropic Bowl Game.

The recruiting process out of high school wasn’t much of a process for me. I was a tight end who was 6’4” and weighed 185lbs coming from a football program that went 1-19 my Junior and Senior seasons. I had two schools interested in me and only one of those schools could offer me anything, ABU. I came into camp my freshman year underweight, couldn’t bench 225lbs one time, and was the fifth tight end on the depth chart out of the six we had. I worked and worked and worked. I started every game, now weigh 255lbs, and can bench 225lbs for at least 25 reps.

Q: What would you consider to be your biggest accomplishment in your sports career so far?

My biggest accomplishment is having the opportunity and blessing of my teammates and coaching staff to be able to be a 4-year team captain in college.

Q: What do you consider to be one of the more important things you learned from the coaching staff?

I learned a lot from my coaches and they have helped me tremendously develop to the player and person I am today. One of the more important things that I’ve learned is to play within yourself, to do everything I can with my own abilities and everything I can for my brothers, to know that I am a piece to the puzzle in order to operate as one unit.

Q: What is/was your biggest challenge and how do/did you manage it?

My biggest challenge was being undersized coming out of high school into my freshman year of college football. I weighed 185 lbs, and was weak and slow. I worked every day, training to get better, focusing on the little things. I had and have a mindset that no matter if I am in the weight room, on the field, or going to an everyday job, that no one will outwork me and I will be the hardest working person there. That if I have a set of 10 reps or 12 sprints, that I will do those then 10 more, then go until failure until I can’t move. Get up and then do it again. Sacrificing hours and hours until I’m content with what I did for the day and then do it again the next day. Recover, fuel up, rest, then get after it again. I transformed myself to keep getting better and better and to be more dominate on the field.

Q: What is your biggest strength or X factor that you bring to a professional team?

My biggest strength is my knowledge of defensive schemes and fronts and how to beat them. The ability to read and react quickly to sit in a zone, to get enough width for a quick throw on a seam route in Cover 3 once I clear the OLB, to look for the “hot” throw if the defense brings pressure, body angles, releases vs. different coverages, if we have Power called and the DE is head up and the S is in the 9-tech to be aware that the DE may slant inside and if so, that I must wash him down the line for our backside G to pull and stay on his course, keeping my eyes on the flow of the W and pick him up once we cross paths. My physicality, creating separation, and making big plays are some of my biggest strengths as well.

Q: Who is or has been the most influential person in your life?

My mom. My mom has always had my back through the ups and downs of my life and has always supported me, provided for me, and pushed me to keep being the best person and football player I can be. She has a tough job that requires long hours and usually keeps her busy on the weekends, but she keeps going and pushing through, always being an inspiration and influential role model for me.

Q: What are your goals with football? If football does not work out, then what?

My goals with football come in steps. The next step is to play in the NFL. Then, to be successful in my position in the NFL. Then, to be one of the best at my positon. Then, to be remembered as one of the all-time greats. If football does not work out, then I am okay with that because I know that I gave it my all, that I didn’t leave anything behind, and that I’ve given my best fight. I want to be a Creative Director for a company that positively changes live, no matter if the company is large or small. I want to ignite new ideas and mindsets that allow people to think creatively to express themselves, to make a difference, to make creative solutions. I also want to be a music producer. A hobby of mine is beatboxing and I have been since I was 9 years old. I like taking the beats I make through beatboxing, adding more ideas I have in my head, and taking it to a program and create a piece of music that motivates someone, that helps someone get through a tough time, that sparks an idea in someone’s mind of what they want to do in life, examples of positively changing lives.

Q: How did you prepare for the National Scouting Combine and what are your expectations?

I have been preparing for the National Scouting Combine by training at Elite Sports & Fitness. I am there every day working on strength, speed, explosion, technique, footwork, everything. I am also on a healthy sleep schedule and diet. My expectations are to make people say, “who is that?”. I expect to blow people out of the water and to show what I got and what I can do. I’m ready and I’m excited.

Q: What would be your ultimate achievement?

My ultimate achievement would be to have a long career in the NFL being incredibly successful and helping my teammates be incredibly successful as well. I have no doubt that I will continue to give everything to this game that I love. I don’t just want to make it, I want to be remembered.

Q: If you have to compare yourself to a current pro player, who would it be and why?

I would compare myself to Jimmy Graham. He’s very athletic, big and fast, makes the difficult catches, and is a dominant force on the field.

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National Scouting Combine Posts

“I would like to start this message by thanking you and everyone involved who made this opportunity possible. I am truly grateful for the experience and atmosphere you’ve cultivated through the National Scouting Combine. My journey has not been an easy one by any means. Losing my mother in 2017 to cancer, losing the house my brothers and I called home before attending this very event in 2018, and completely bombing the event left me completely shot mentally. This event that just took place gave me the motivation and hope for better days. That is exactly what has been provided to me. Opportunities I never considered have presented themselves to me with each passing day. WWE contract offers, Rugby offers, and NFL scout inquiries about what kind of man Jarrod Cann is, are just the first of many opportunities that were made real through my participation in your event! Thank you for allowing me to tell my story on such a platform and allowing me to save lives with my story.”
Jarrod Cann
Jarrod CannRB, Central Connecticut State
“The National Scouting Combine was a great opportunity for me to get official test numbers and get my information out to teams and scouts to gain necessary exposure. It is always a big challenge for athletes to get official verified numbers but the National Scouting Combine gave me this opportunity. The entire staff works with the players to put them into the best position to succeed. They give players opportunities to promote themselves on and off the field. They have a setup to do all combine tests and to perform official position drills. The event also allows for players to gain useful contacts with teams and National Scouting Combine staff members to further promote themselves. The National Scouting Combine provided me with a chance to showcase my abilities as a free agent and put myself in a good position to have success in my pursuit to play professional football. I want thank the National Scouting Combine staff for giving players this unique chance to demonstrate their skills.”
Chris Bury
Chris BuryTE, Notre Dame
“I had a great experience at the combine. The whole staff was extremely positive and really wanted the best for all of the players that attended. Being that I was a free agent and a season removed from NFL camps it was crucial for me to get new numbers to show I was still working hard. My only opportunity so far came from a scout who attended the combine. As players that’s why we attend these events, to be seen by the pro levels. I’m very greatful for the opportunity that was came from the combine. I’ll be recommending it to every player possible in the future who’s looking to go pro.”
Dillon Salva
Dillon SalvaTE, Merrimack
My experience at the National Scouting Combine was an extremely positive one. Coming from a small school (Bryant University – Division I AA), opportunities to showcase my athleticism and measurables to pro scouts were scarce. However, Jimmy and his team gave me that opportunity when they put together a first-class event, in an outstanding venue and invited hundreds of players that had been overlooked or just wanted the opportunity to showcase their abilities. The connections, advice and coaching I received at the 2018 National Scouting Combine were priceless, as many pro scouts and coaches began to get in contact with me during and immediately after the combine. Jimmy and his team did an outstanding job of incorporating new, cutting edge technologies into the combine, while inviting well-respected coaches, scouts and former professional players to run the drills and provide coaching. Jimmy provided me with a platform to chase my dream of playing professional football that I would not otherwise have had, and in turn is part of the reason why many CFL teams took interest in me, why I was invited to Rookie Minicamps with the Jets and Texans and why I have now signed with the Orlando Apollo’s of the new Alliance of American Football League. The invitation to the 2018 National Scouting Combine was a blessing to me and my career and I would recommend any and all small school or overlooked college football player to attend and take advantage of this combine that, with Jimmy leading it, will continue to get better every single year.
Matt Sewell
Matt SewellWR, Bryant University
“My testimonial would be because of COVID-19, it has hindered my ability to showcase my talents at pro days, workouts, and tryouts. But, because of the NSC I can still send official numbers and video to each team, while also gaining the opportunity to meet scouts in face and build a relationship with them. Lastly, the NSC is second only to the NFL combine which helps me have something else to hang my hat on as one of the top performers!”
Jamal Ware
Jamal WareLB, Maryville College
“Thank you for the support and helping with promoting me for the next level. I am most definitely interested and my experience at the national scouting combine was incredible. It was my first official opportunity and it was a professional combine. All verified, legitimate laser times and numbers are vital to have especially in the times we are facing today. All of the coaches and personnel involved were professional in every aspect. It is such a blessing to have the opportunity to be apart of the national scouting combine and I can’t be more grateful to have verified numbers.”
Kyle Haines
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“First and foremost I would like to thank the NSC staff for giving me the opportunity to showcase my skills in front of scouts and allow myself to get relevant combine numbers. This combine is by far the best Combine I have been to. The rooms were great and the food that was provided by NSC was great as well. You can feel that they had a passion for helping those who may not have had an NFL Combine invite and others who are just chasing that opportunity. They were extremely supportive and willing to market the players in every way possible. I was beyond impressed with the testing once we got going. Everything was very organized and professional just as it should be. When it came to the testing they had both hand time and laser time which makes your test times that much more official. The number of scouts that attended the Scouting Combine was even better. This staff truly knows how to put together a legit A+ combine experience and was by far the best combine experience I have been a part of.”
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Tyler Anderson
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Pursuing a career in professional football from a small school is a lonely path. A prospect may have the support of his peers, family, and teammates, but the process can be overwhelming and very confusing. Often times small school prospects don’t have access to the resources provided to prospects at football powerhouses. “How can I get myself in front of scouts? How can I prove to them that I can play at the next level?” These are only a few of the many questions that race through a potential prospects mind on a daily basis. The Beyond Sports Network National Combine helped simplify this process for many of the players that attended, including myself. Despite the combine being held for a few days, the information and services provided by the combine, as well as the sense of community between the staff members and prospects stood out to me. Every test that would be performed at the NFL combine was covered, every coach and staff member supported each prospect to an unbelievable extent, and the amount of scouts and agents in attendance and how interactive they were was impressive. The Beyond Sports Network National Scouting Combine was a critical step in attempting to take my talents to the next level. If you are a small school prospect with no clear path to the next level, the National Scouting Combine will certainly clear up the path for you.
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BSN gave me the platform I needed to be respected as a athlete. I came to there first Combine in 2010. I was pulled by every NFL, CFL scout. At that time there were a couple really good WRs including a SEC top WR who NFL scouts were coming to see. Once I put up good #s in my Testing Drills, we did one on ones. I showed my great covering skills to the point all the scouts herd the WRs talking and asking who was this guy. Then BSN promoted me and my numbers and I received workouts on all levels. I became a name in the business. Having legit numbers and respectable organization backing you is what you need. Everyone can say they can play and perform but coaches and scouts don’t believe you. BSN gives you the stage to perform and prove them wrong and get the opportunity you deserve. Because of BSN I was able to create a long professional career and when needed comeback to prove I could still play at a high level.
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