Omar Cooper Jr is a 6 ‘0, 200-pound wide receiver from Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis, Indiana, who played for the Indiana Hoosiers for three years, from 2022 to 2025. He was undervalued relative to his current draft stock and what he became at Indiana University, as he was a three-star prospect and the 80th-ranked wide receiver in his class. Omar Cooper has been relatively healthy his whole career and is a big reason he has won awards such as Catch of the Year Contender in 2025, College Football National Champion, Second Team All-Big Ten, and Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week. In an era where athletes transfer when coaches leave, Cooper decided to stay loyal and play for Curt Cignetti after the departure of Tom Allen, and stay as the hometown hero, something that will be important to NFL teams.
Athletically, Cooper does not possess the top end speed, but it is good overall. The Hoosiers thought of him as someone with great speed because of his ability to play in the slot, be used in bubble screens, and misdirection runs. With that, his route running ability is one of the best in the class, especially on corner and out routes, he gives the quarterback a safe option and emergency blanket if his first options are not there. His hands are elite too, only boasting a four percent drop rate percentage, and when in heavy coverage, his contested catches are good, as he will make the catch if the quarterback gives him a chance on it. He is not one to make up for the quarterback’s throwing error though, as it will be incomplete if it is thrown with an advantage to the cornerback to make the play. In deep routes, it is unknown because of the lack of routes thrown deep downfield and in the middle of the field, because of his usage as a slot receiver. Mentally, Cooper can diagnose the play and realize what the defense is in and what he needs to do to get around, especially on bubble screens, where he is used mostly at.
Blocking is an area that is the most concerning, but I still see it as effective and good, using his high energy and high motor to create holes for his running backs, and picking up defensive backs or undersized defensive ends, in misdirection motions. With that, his YAC (Yards after Catch) ability is elite, raising some eyebrows, even in the Big Ten, being able to be shifty and his competitive toughness driving him ten or more yards after contact and even taking it to the house.
Overall, Omar Cooper is a prospect who relies on his elite catching, route-running, YAC ability, and use in the running game to create an advantage for his team and offense. The only weakness in his game is the ability to go deep against coverages and be effective, and surprisingly, even the blocking is not a big weakness, as it is a strength before a weakness given his competitive toughness and play speed.
Scheme and Team Fit
For Cooper’s scheme fit, he will primarily be used in the slot, and if needed, he can move outside on occasion, given his good speed and bubble-screen success. Teams that play like this and could use a slot receiver are the San Francisco 49ers, Buffalo Bills, and Oakland Raiders. Starting with the obvious: with new head coach Klint Kubiak and the Raiders drafting Fernando Mendoza first overall, this is the ideal situation for Cooper. With Cooper around Mendoza for a full year and the insane chemistry they shared, and with Kubiak developing Sam Darnold into a quarterback who fed off speedy wide receivers, this would be the best fit. For the Buffalo Bills, after getting D.J. Moore from Chicago, they could use speed out of the slot, and Cooper could help the Bills with the majority of their plays coming from run-pass option plays. For the 49ers, they could use another receiver with slot success, especially with Ricky Pearsall having injury problems and Indiana running a similar offense to the 49ers, in addition to tons of people comparing Deebo to Omar.
NFL Player Comparison: Cooper Kupp
Much like Kupp, Omar Cooper has great hands, great competitive speed, and is used in many run pass option plays and misdirection plays, in the run, specifically. From one slot receiver to a future slot receiver, they both look like the same player on paper.
Projection: Elite Slot Receiver
In a league that is dictated by competitive toughness and speed as a wide receiver, with Cooper possessing both of these, he will be an elite slot receiver for years to come. I do not see a different scenario, especially with how effective he was against Iowa and Oregon, two defenses that thrive on defense, and what he brings to the table as a high motor, high energy, great hands, and YAC ability receiver. He is everything you envision out of the slot as a wide receiver.
Grade and Round Projection: 5.0 / Middle Second Round
Cooper is looked at as one of the best wide receivers this class has to offer, so I expect him to go in the second round with an inside shot to go in the first round, but nonetheless, he is an elite prospect to have, and teams may trade up to do so.
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