Earl Cooper was drafted No. 13 overall by the San Francisco 49ers in the 1980 NFL Draft out of Rice. 93 regular-season games · 4 seasons as a starter · 25 career approximate value
- Overall pick
- #13
- Round
- 1
- Draft class
- 1980
- NFL games
- 93
- Years as starter
- 4
- Career AV
- 254th at Rice
The pick
How Earl Cooper came off the board in 1980.
- Position
- Running back RB
- College
-
Rice
American at the draft
- Side of the ball
- Offense
NFL career
93 regular-season games · 4 seasons as a starter · 25 career approximate value
- Games played
- 93
- Seasons as a starter
- 4
- Career approximate value
- 254th among Rice picks
- AV with the drafting club
- 25100% of career value
- Final season
- 19866 years after the draft
Around pick 13
Who came off the board on either side of Earl Cooper.
USC
Colorado College
Tennessee
BYU
Other RB picks from Rice
The program's most accomplished players at the same spot.
About this draft profile
Last updated Aug 24, 2026
Earl Cooper in the 1980 NFL Draft
Earl Cooper is a Running back out of Rice selected No. 13 overall by the San Francisco 49ers in the 1980 NFL Draft. 93 regular-season games · 4 seasons as a starter · 25 career approximate value Rice has produced 23 NFL draft picks since 1980.
Where this data comes from
Pick order and career outcomes come from the nflverse draft archive; position, measurables, and conference at the time of the draft come from the college feed. Career columns stay empty until a player logs regular-season snaps.
Frequently asked questions
Where was Earl Cooper drafted?
Earl Cooper was selected No. 13 overall by the San Francisco 49ers in the 1980 NFL Draft (Rd 1). Full pick detail at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1980/earl-cooper.
What college did Earl Cooper play for?
Earl Cooper played college football at Rice in the American. See every Rice draft pick at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/rice-owls.
How did Earl Cooper's NFL career turn out?
93 regular-season games · 4 seasons as a starter · 25 career approximate value Career outcome data at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1980/earl-cooper.