New York Jets select Anez Cooper in 6th round of 2026 NFL Draft

Offensive guard prospect Anez Cooper is heading to the NFL after being selected by the New York Jets in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Cooper spent four seasons at Miami.

Cooper has been a staple of the Hurricanes’ offensive line since his freshman season. Cooper played in 52 games during his college career — including all 16 games for Miami at right guard in 2025.

He played 816 snaps for Mario Cristobal’s group this past season, where he allowed just two hits and eight pressures. Cooper didn’t allow a sack all season, but was called for eight penalties. For his efforts, he earned Second-team All-ACC honors.

This came after consecutive years (2023, 2024) being named as a conference honorable mention. He started all 13 games for Miami in each of those seasons. As a freshman in 2022, Cooper appeared in 10 games logging four starts.

Before college, Cooper was a three-star recruit according to the Rivals Industry Rankings, which is a proprietary algorithm that compiles ratings and rankings from all four primary recruiting media services. He was the No. 85 interior offensive lineman in his class during the 2022 cycle.

What NFL Draft analysts are saying about Anez Cooper

Now that Cooper is NFL-bound, his new fanbase may want to know what to expect out of their newest offensive lineman. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein provided in-depth analysis on the former Miami standout.

“Cooper is a big and proportional guard. He loses effectiveness when blocking in space, but he plays with good body control and understands how to use his size to neutralize in-line opponents. He has heavy hands and punches quickly into extension in pass pro to subdue rush momentum, making him difficult to circumnavigate. He struggles staying mirrored to athletic rushers with quality setups, though. His issues identifying and responding to rush games are cause for concern. Cooper’s limitations require occasional help, but he has starter upside in the right scheme fit.”