Cooper Hodges Bio
Cooper Hodges (born July 13, 2000) is an American professional football guard for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Appalachian State Mountaineers and was selected in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL draft by the Jaguars. Standing 6 ft 4 in and listed at 305 lb, he has played both guard and tackle during his career and is recognized as a durable, technical interior lineman.
A native of Glen St. Mary, Florida, Hodges joined Jacksonville as a developmental prospect with extensive starting experience at the college level. His path from a small-town high school program to an NFL roster reflects steady improvement and a long track record of consistent availability on the offensive line.
Early Life and Background
Cooper Hodges was born on July 13, 2000, and grew up in Glen St. Mary, Florida. He attended Baker County High School, where he developed into a notable offensive line prospect. During his senior season, Hodges helped lead his team to the Florida state championship match and was recognized as a Super 24 pick in the state, an honor reserved for top senior football players in Florida.
Rated as a two-star recruit coming out of high school, Hodges was not heavily recruited by major college football programs. He committed to play for the Appalachian State Mountaineers, a program in the Sun Belt Conference with a strong tradition of developing offensive linemen. His decision to join the Mountaineers gave him the opportunity to grow his game at the college level.
At Baker County, Hodges played under local coaching staff who emphasized fundamentals and physicality. These early experiences shaped his approach as a run blocker and pass protector, traits that would become central to his identity as a professional.
Path to American Football
Hodges arrived at Appalachian State in 2018 as a true freshman and immediately faced an early setback, redshirting the season after an injury limited his playing time. The Mountaineers’ coaching staff chose to preserve his eligibility and develop him for a future starting role along the offensive line.
In 2019, Hodges broke into the lineup as the starting right tackle and started all 14 games for the Mountaineers. His performance earned him second-team All-Sun Belt Conference honors, signaling his emergence as one of the conference’s most reliable young linemen. He followed that with another second-team All-Sun Belt selection in 2020 after starting all 11 games that season.
By his junior and senior years, Hodges had become a fixture at right tackle and a respected leader on the Appalachian State offensive line. His consistency and durability positioned him as a potential professional prospect heading into the 2023 NFL draft.
Cooper Hodges Career
Early Career (2018–2020)
Cooper Hodges’s college career began in 2018 at Appalachian State, where he redshirted as a true freshman and did not see game action. Despite the limited role, the experience allowed him to learn the Mountaineers’ offensive system and adjust to the speed and physicality of college-level football.
From 2019 to 2020, Hodges became a full-time starter at right tackle, starting all 25 games across the two seasons. He earned back-to-back second-team All-Sun Belt Conference honors, establishing himself as a dependable presence on the offensive line and laying the foundation for further individual recognition.
Sun Belt Breakthrough (2021–2022)
In 2021, Hodges continued his role as a starting right tackle for Appalachian State and was named first-team All-Sun Belt Conference, a significant step up from his previous second-team selections. The recognition reflected his development into one of the top offensive linemen in the conference and helped raise his profile among NFL scouts.
As a senior in 2022, Hodges appeared in 12 games and was named first-team All-Sun Belt for the second consecutive year. He also earned third-team All-America honors from Pro Football Focus, becoming one of the most decorated linemen in program history. He finished his Appalachian State career with 51 consecutive starts, more than 3,500 offensive snaps played, and only seven sacks allowed.
Jacksonville Jaguars Era (2023–Present)
Cooper Hodges was selected in the seventh round, 226th overall, of the 2023 NFL draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars, the team based near his hometown. The pick was originally acquired by Jacksonville in a trade with the Carolina Panthers in exchange for wide receiver Laviska Shenault. Although Hodges played right tackle in college, the Jaguars announced him as a guard when he was drafted, signaling a position change at the professional level.
Hodges was placed on injured reserve on August 31, 2023, before appearing in a regular-season game that year. On June 4, 2025, he was waived by the Jaguars following a failed physical and reverted to the team’s Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list the following day. As of the 2025 season, his career NFL statistics include nine games played and one game started.
Driving Style and Strengths
Hodges is recognized for his technique, balance, and run-blocking fundamentals developed over five seasons as a starter at Appalachian State. His long snapping history and ability to avoid penalties make him a reliable interior presence, while his frame and leverage allow him to compete in both pass protection and gap-blocking schemes.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the defining moments of Hodges’s career are his 51 consecutive starts at Appalachian State and his selection in the 2023 NFL draft by his hometown Jacksonville Jaguars. His third-team All-America recognition from Pro Football Focus in 2022 stands as one of his most significant individual honors.
Cooper Hodges Career Wins
Cooper Hodges has not recorded individual win statistics as a professional offensive lineman, since wins in football are typically credited to teams rather than individual players. His on-field contributions have been measured through starts, snaps, and individual awards rather than headline victory totals.
College and Conference Highlights
At Appalachian State, Hodges earned four consecutive All-Sun Belt Conference selections, including two first-team honors in 2021 and 2022 and two second-team honors in 2019 and 2020. He also received third-team All-America recognition from Pro Football Focus following his senior season, underscoring his status as one of the most decorated Mountaineers linemen of his era.
Other Wins and Performances
Hodges helped lead Baker County High School to the Florida state championship match during his senior season, one of the most notable team achievements of his pre-college career. His ability to perform on big stages has remained a hallmark of his playing style.
Cooper Hodges Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information about Cooper Hodges’s immediate family members is limited, and detailed records about his parents or siblings have not been widely published. What is known is that he grew up in the small community of Glen St. Mary, Florida, where he developed his early love for football.
Personal Life
Cooper Hodges has kept most details of his personal life private, and there is no widely available public information about a spouse or children. His professional focus has remained on his career as an NFL offensive lineman with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season has been a challenging one for Cooper Hodges, marked by uncertainty about his status with the Jacksonville Jaguars. After spending his first two professional seasons developing at guard, he was waived by the team on June 4, 2025, following a failed physical, and reverted to the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list the following day.
As of the 2025 season, Hodges’s career totals stand at nine games played and one game started in the NFL, reflecting the limited regular-season opportunities he has received since being drafted. His future role with the franchise will depend on his recovery and the Jaguars’ evaluation of their offensive line depth.
Looking ahead, Hodges will aim to return to full health and re-establish himself as a contributor along the Jacksonville offensive line. His track record of durability at Appalachian State, including 51 consecutive starts, suggests he has the foundation to compete for a roster spot once healthy.