Butler freshman DL Cooper Paukstis brings size, upside, and early-career punch
In the 2026 season, Cooper Paukstis is a 6-foot-2, 260-pound freshman defensive lineman at Butler who already looks built for the trenches and for future growth.[1][11] The intriguing part is the frame: he has the compact power profile coaches love in a disruptive interior defender, and Butler’s roster/stats pages show him as part of the early-season rotation with at least one assisted tackle recorded in 2026.[11][12] For a team, he looks like a developmental fit with real room to add strength, anchor better, and turn raw size into reliable run defense.
