Ryan Cooper is the playable protagonist of Need for Speed: ProStreet, in which he competes with other racers in order to become the ultimate racing king.

Relatively little is known about Ryan, except that he is a former street racer who enters a challenge day in a legally sanctioned race and wins it with a Nissan 240SX (S13). Ryan is then mocked by Ryo Watanabe, the "Showdown King". He is never seen without a helmet and his voice is never heard.

Ryan Cooper is one of the first protagonists of the Need for Speed series to have a known name, followed by Jack Rourke in Need for Speed: The Run.
In Need for Speed: Undercover, in case the player sits idle for some time, police officers start to broadcast over the radio that one officer has arrested a man who is unwilling to cooperate; saying that his surname is Cooper, his first name is Ryan, he is refusing to say anything, and won't take off his racing helmet.
In Need for Speed: Payback, Ryan is referenced by Mac as the only person to have defeated Aki Kimura.

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