Johnson has high praise for Sonoraville alum Cooper

Georgia Tech center and former Sonoraville High standout Kenny Cooper was paid a high compliment by his coach after Wednesday’s practice.

“He may be the best offensive lineman,” Paul Johnson said after the team completed its 12th practice of the pre- season.

That’s at least the second time that Johnson has praised Cooper, a sophomore, in such terms.

Cooper is going into his first season as a starter after backing up Freddie Burden last year as a freshman.

For Tech, it’s an encouraging evaluation, particularly considering the play that left guard Parker Braun deliv- ered last season, which earned him spots on freshman All-America teams last year and a spot on the Outland Trophy watch list in July. Braun and Cooper surging into defensive lines to create gaps for another sophomore, B-back Dedrick Mills, for the next three seasons could be a highly productive combination.

Johnson’s comment about Cooper followed a similar remark that he made in July at the ACC Kickoff in Charlotte, N.C.

“Kenny Cooper can be a tremendous player,” Johnson said then. “He has a chance to be as good as anybody we’ve had there at that position if he’ll commit to keep his weight down and work hard. He’s a talented young man.”

The player who has set the standard at cen- ter for Tech in Johnson’s nine-year tenure, Sean Bedford, was twice named first-team All-ACC.

Cooper was a 2016 graduate of Sonoraville High where he played both offense and defense during his time as a Phoenix.

The Jackets open the regular season on Sept. 4 at 8 p.m. vs. Tennessee in the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium.