Omar Cooper Jr. - Wide Receiver - Indiana
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1 - Post catch Acumen
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2 - Route Running ​
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3 - Contested catch skillset & Inconsistencies winning the ball ​
Tough, combative & consistent after the catch. Excellent usage of small feints & jab steps to pull defenders out of position as a ball carrier. Operates well in small spaces with his play strength & contact balance - defenders have to rally to negate explosives.
Reliable extension of the run game on screens, sweeps, jet motions. Can be a high volume short to intermediate target with his ability to create explosives by how well he understands openings & closures post-catch - RPO heavy scheme at Indiana made use of this.
Upper-shelf cognitive skills with the ball in his hands ðŸ§
Averaged 7.35 yards after the catch per reception the last two seasons - far above than the consensus top 3 receivers in Tate, Lemon, Tyson.
Most reliable & diverse post-catch athlete in this cycle.
Can show good dramatic movement tools at the top of routes to help him separate from defensive backs. + skillset as a double move route runner even with the ability to finish being slightly inconsistent. Indiana didn’t deploy a large tree with him - 83% of snaps were from the slot, and an abundance of those were schemed RPO looks.
In 12p there is a role for Cooper Jr. if he can add depth to his LOS toolbox. He is likely a late first round selection who should be on the field in 11p on day one.
Has ball skills & a contested catch skillset that reminds me now Buffalo Bill, DJ Moore.
Wins the ball in the air with his body when contested, and can make some extremely difficult away-from-frame receptions. He can also have trouble adequately tracking the football & adjusting to the defenders path - I do not predict he is a heavy level 3 target earner, however like Moore he can show up in high leverage situations & is as tough as they come.