Big 22: Providence Day Safety Caleb Cooper

CHARLOTTE — Channel 9 Sports’ next Big 22 Player to Watch is a star safety who’s headed to Happy Valley next year.

Providence Day School Safety Caleb Cooper came to the Queen City before his sophomore year of high school, which is a difficult time for any kid to move. But the self-described extrovert matched well with his new teammates. The connections and friendships he leaned into during the school year began much earlier on the football practice fields.

“Especially over the summers, we have a very rigorous schedule and so being able to be around 50, 60 of my guys for almost the entire summer, going from that transition into the school year, it was almost seamless,” Cooper told Channel 9 Sports.

Cooper came to Charlotte for the same reason many kids do: their parents work. His dad’s job is a little different, though. Scott Cooper is the director of coaching development for the Carolina Panthers; he works closely with Head Coach Dave Canales, and Cooper has spent a great deal of time around the team learning what it takes to succeed at the next level.

“Just seeing how much time that those guys at that level where I want to be at is being so intentional with how much time they’re in the film room, how much time they’re in the weight room, stuff like that. That’s why I never complain about anything, because that’s what it’s going to take to get me where I want to be at,” Cooper said.

Our Big 22 previews continue Tuesday with Lake Norman Quarterback Kaden Craft. They’ll continue every weekday until voting for our five finalists begins on Sept. 4.

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