The Ottawa Redblacks signed running back Marquez Cooper to a future contract that starts in 2026 on Thursday according to the CFL Transactions page.
Marquez Cooper is five foot seven and weighs 205 pounds. The 23-year-old from Gaithersburg, Maryland, signed with the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League on June 10, 2025. In 2025, he had three carries for nine yards in one game.
Collegiately, Cooper spent three seasons at Kent State University (2020-22) with 582 carries for 2,818 yards, 29 rushing touchdowns, completing one pass for nine yards, 19 catches for 203 yards, and 11 kick returns for 244 yards in 26 games for the Golden Flashes.
In 2022, he had a career-high 285 carries for 1,331 yards, 13 rushing touchdowns, completed one pass for nine yards, eight catches for 94 yards, and nine kick returns for 196 yards in 12 games. Cooper cracked the top ten in school history for multiple single-season rushing totals in carries (285, 2nd), rushing yards (1,331, 5th), and rushing touchdowns (13, T-7th). He was named Second Team All-MAC in 2021 and First Team All-MAC in 2022.
Next, he transferred to Ball State University in 2023 with 227 carries for 1,043 yards (86.9 AVG/G), four rushing touchdowns, 19 catches for 164 yards, and one tackle (1 solo) in 12 games for the Cardinals. Cooper was named to the 2023 Maxwell Award Watch List.
Cooper concluded his collegiate career at San Diego State University in 2024 with 292 carries for 1,274 yards (24.3 AVG/G), 12 rushing touchdowns, 20 catches for 137 yards, and two touchdowns in 12 games for the Aztecs. Cooper became the first player in FBS history to rush for 1,000 yards with three different teams. He was named First Team All-Mountain West, 2024 Maxwell Award Watch List, and the 2024 Doak Walker Award Watch List.
