Tar Heel fans praise Jonathan Cooper for more than just blocking skills

Arizona Cardinals fans have reacted positively to the drafting of guard Jonathan Cooper. The consensus is that he is a big time guard prospect. Should step right in and improve the Cardinals offensive line immediately, helping both the center and tackle that he plays next to.

However, the Cards not only picked up a potential Pro Bowl guard, but also a great teammate.

Over at Tar Heel Blog, after Cooper was drafted, the site highlighted Cooper's tenure in Chapel Hill.

The called him the line's "anchor" as a sophomore, and even from there "stepped up big" as a junior.

We all know how great he was his final year, but what stuck out in the article highlighting him was this:

Coming into his senior year and the third head coach of his college career, Cooper cold have easily gone astray in learning a radically different offense. Instead he was one of the team's leaders, ensuring Bryn Renner was the least-sacked quarterback in the ACC and Bernard the rushing leader. In fact, it's hard to find a wire photo where he isn't congratulating Giovani Bernard in the end zone, no matter what the length of the run the Florida tailback had just galloped. As a result, Cooper spent the season garnering pretty much every conceivable accolade, as he was named All-ACC, then All-American by the AP and the AFCA, and took home the Jacobs blocking trophy.

If you were to talk to a Tar Heel fan, there is one tidbit that you might find interesting. While some have been saying that Cooper could be groomed to play center, in Chapel Hill they say he "is not destined to play" the position.

You know what excites me? The prospects of a lineman opening up a hole for a running back who scores, and the lineman, after finishing his block, follows the back into the end zone to congratulate him.

We got a good one, Cards fans. Enjoy it.

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