Husker recruit still unsigned by Angels
BRIAN CHRISTOPHERSON / Lincoln Journal Star
Monday, Jun 23, 2008 - 02:09:26 pm CDT
The Angels are still pursuing. Khiry Cooper is still in Lincoln, unsigned and enjoying himself according to his prep baseball coach.
He’s seen some offers, but none yet enticing enough to make the Husker wide receiver recruit say no to college football and sign with Los Angeles, which drafted him in the fifth round of the recent baseball draft.
“If I were a betting man, I’d say he’d be at Nebraska playing football this fall,” said Rodney Traweek, who coached Cooper at Calvary Baptist Academy in Shreveport, La.
Cooper has been in Lincoln for a couple weeks. He’s taking classes and working out.
At 6-feet-2 and 180 pounds, he is viewed as a player with the potential to have an early impact on the football field for the Huskers. “A smooth player,” according to Husker head coach Bo Pelini.
And aside from seniors Nate Swift and Todd Peterson, there is not much experience returning for Nebraska at the receivers spot.
“I talked to him a couple times in the last week and he’s excited to be at Nebraska,” Traweek said.
He’s certainly not Nebraska’s for sure yet. The Angels have until Aug. 15 to sign Cooper, a center fielder/leadoff type who would likely also play baseball in Lincoln if he doesn’t sign.
Traweek said he knows the Angels haven’t given up on trying to get Cooper. “I’m sure they’ll come back with another offer or two.”
Most fifth-round picks in last year’s baseball draft received between $110,000 and $150,000 in signing bonuses. And Cooper’s scholarship to Nebraska could potentially help him get a better deal than most with the Angels.
“You have a bit of leverage,” he told the Journal Star a couple weeks ago.
But judging from the comments of his coach, the initial signing-bonus offers by the Angels weren’t as attractive as perhaps some thought they would be.
Said Traweek: “I thought it was going to be more to be quite honest with you.”
Reach Brian Christopherson at 473-7439 or bchristopherson@journalstar.com.
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