The Indiana Hoosiers' unbeaten season and National Championship victory will push many of their top players higher in the NFL Draft order, with one of the biggest benefactors of this dominant run being wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr.
Teaming with projected No. 1 overall pick quarterback Fernando Mendoza and fellow quality wide receiver Elijah Sarratt, Cooper is gradually starting to show that it would be foolish for teams to let him escape the top 75 picks when April comes around.
While Cooper's stock is as high as it has ever been, should teams be a bit concerned about the fact he has flown onto the scene with less fanfare than most in his ilk?
Indiana WR Omar Cooper Jr. NFL Draft Scouting Report
Notes
Height: 6-0
Weight: 201
Recruiting: 2022 4-star, No. 299 nationally, No. 43 WR, No. 9 IN
Positives
- Catches anything and everything thrown near him, some of the best hands in the class paired with tremendous ball skills down the field.
- Tremendous ability to make plays with the ball in his hands, showcases great vision and the ability to break tackles.
- Profiles as a solid deep threat who has quality top-end speed,
Cooper was Indiana's big-play threat this season, as his ability to reel in big catches deep down the field while remaining an excellent red-zone threat was one of the main reasons Mendoza was as effective as he was. His hands and body control will be his meal ticket as he moves to the NFL.
Cooper is not just a deep ball merchant, as he shows great elusiveness and desire when trying to make plays as a runner. If he gets NFL route-running down, Cooper cam be a true Y receiver in the modern game.
Negatives
- Lacks great explosion and short-area quickness, will need to show he can separate against NFL cornerbacks based on route-running savvy.
- Will need to adapt to a professional route tree, as he ran a ton of basic routes and RPOs during his collegiate career.
- Lacks multiple years of high-end production, only broke out when Mendoza came to Indiana.
- Not going to be a good blocker in the pros, which may put off teams who prioritize that trait.
Cooper came out of relative obscurity after Mendoza started lighting the college world on fire, and it may be fair to wonder how much of his production was related to having a No. 1 pick and top-50 receiver on his offense. The very basic route tree will be a red flag for some teams.
Cooper has an impressive top speed, but it might be easy to see a world in which he struggles to separate against man coverage in the pros due to some iffy lateral quickness and subpar acceleration for someone his size.
Omar Cooper Jr. NFL Player Comparison: Romeo Doubs
Cooper may be someone who thrives on deep shots and screens that let him run with the ball, but his excellence in those two areas may be too enticing for teams to pass up.
Omar Cooper Jr. 2026 NFL Draft Grade: Early 3rd Round
Cooper needs to go to an offense that has a very specific plan for using him, but if he finds that perfect new home, there's a good chance he ends up as a more productive player than some fringe first-round targets.