The 2024 Senior Bowl will provide an opportunity for NFL draft prospects to prove themselves on the largest pre-draft stage. Kansas State offensive lineman Cooper Beebe plans on taking full advantage. Beebe recently spoke exclusively with the Senior Bowl and Draft Network to discuss his motivation for accepting his invitation to compete in Mobile, Alabama.
Beebe also discussed what he's striving to prove to NFL general managers and scouts in attendance at the Senior Bowl, his NFL comparisons, how he self-scouts, and more. Let's get to know Beebe better ahead of his journey to the Senior Bowl.
JM: Where were you when you found out about your Senior Bowl invite and what was your initial reaction?
Cooper Beebe: I was actually up at the Kansas State complex. Jim Nagy was there handing my teammate, tight end Ben Sinnott, his invite to the Senior Bowl. He was a walk-on at Kansas State so it was a huge moment for him. Nagy called me up to the office right after and I didn’t know what to expect.
Our recruiters were standing in our coaches’ office as well. I walked in and they handed me my invite as well. I was so ecstatic. I’ve been working for this. I’ve had this goal in mind throughout my entire career. I’ve watched numerous K-State players go to the Senior Bowl. To be adding to that history, it’s such a great honor for me.
JM: We can’t wait to see both you and Ben Sinnott out there. What motivated you to accept the Senior Bowl’s offer?
Cooper Beebe: I love to compete. I want to prove that I can compete against anybody. It doesn’t matter what conference or team they play for. I’m one of the best offensive linemen in the country. In order to prove that, I have to go up against dudes from the SEC and other conferences like it.
That’s what you’re gonna get at the Senior Bowl, the best of the best. I wanted to prove to the entire world that I can compete with anybody.
JM: I want to expand on that topic. What are you hoping to prove to NFL general managers, coaching staffs, and scouts in attendance in Mobile?
Cooper Beebe: I think there’s a stigma against The Big 12 conference. I think people look at The Big 12 and say it’s not as good as the SEC and so forth. I want to prove that I’m capable of dominating more than just Big 12 defenders. I can maintain my level of play against any defender in college football. I can compete against Big Ten guys and so on.
I might not have the ideal size or desired intangibles. I’m not as big as other offensive line prospects, but I’m out to prove that I’m a really good blocker that can do it all.
JM: How would you describe your skill set in your own words? Self-scout yourself.
Cooper Beebe: I would say I’m a tough, gritty dude. I play with great technique. They criticize my size. I’m not the biggest guy and I don’t have the longest arms. I’m not your typical 6-foot-5 offensive tackle, but I’m going to get in there and work my butt off. I’m gonna do the dirty work. I’m gonna rely on my technique to get things done. I try to work hard every single day. I just approach the game the right way.
JM: We can’t wait to watch you in Mobile. We’re all so excited to see you in person. If you had to give yourself an NFL comp, who would you choose and why?
Cooper Beebe: That’s a great question. One of the dudes that I’ve always looked up to is Zack Martin. He ’s a guy that I really try to model my game after. He’s a super smart football player. He’s very physical. He plays with great technique. He finishes his blocks by punishing defenders. I try to model my game after him. If I had to give a comparison, it would probably be Zack Martin.
JM: He’s an all-time great. What can you achieve at the Senior Bowl that you can’t at other pre-draft events?
Cooper Beebe: As an offensive lineman, you shine on tape. Numbers at the NFL Scouting Combine don’t really translate. It is what it is, the numbers are what they are. You don’t need to run a 4.5 forty. It doesn’t apply to the football field.
What applies is winning your one-versus-one reps at the Senior Bowl. Those drills, those reps, the Senior Bowl encompasses that. That’s how I can prove I’m a legitimate football player. It’s not about running fast or jumping high. That’s what the O-line position is all about.
JM: That’s the honest truth right there. What’s on your pre-game playlist?
Cooper Beebe: Everybody always thinks I’m playing serious music. Honestly, it depends on the mood. I might throw some Taylor Swift in there, some Beyonce, some Miley Cyrus once in a while. You can see it when I’m warming up. I’m a different guy. I love upbeat songs that are kind of catchy.
JM: Those aren’t the expected choices (laughs). At the end of the week, what does a successful Senior Bowl look like for Cooper Beebe?
Cooper Beebe: I’m excited to go out there and get better every single day. That’s what it’s all about. There’s going to be a lot of NFL scouts and coaches in attendance. I’m excited to work with them and better myself. I’m never a finished product. A successful Senior Bowl means I soaked up a bunch of knowledge from these NFL coaches.
I’m going to better my game while showing the world that I can compete with these top-caliber athletes.
