Last week, I wrote about how the Panthers may not be out of the wide receiver race in the first round. Well, as it turns out, people with real NFL Draft intel seem to agree.
As of today (April 9), Carolina will have hosted three different wide receivers for 30 Visits:
Oklahoma’s Deion Burks, who tracks to be a later round pick
Washington’s Denzel Boston, a big-framed jump ball winner more in the mold of who the team currently employs
Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr, our subject for today’s article
KC Concepcion, who I talked about last week, also visited the team but will count as a Local Visit, given his ties to Charlotte.
All the stuff about Carolina’s offense needing an upgrade is still true - the team hasn’t added anyone in free agency to help create explosive plays.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the recipient of what I would consider to be the play of the year in college football this past season: Omar Cooper Jr.
Profile
Omar Cooper’s football career began in Indianapolis at Lawrence North High School, a short hour drive from where Cooper would eventually commit. In high school, Cooper was a three sport athlete, also competing in basketball* and track and field as a long jumper.
*Omar Jr’s twin brother Sharife Cooper would eventually commit to Auburn’s basketball program and land in the NBA after earning SEC All-Freshman Team honors
In high school, Cooper’s best season came in his junior year, where he amassed 1101 yards and 13 touchdowns on only 38 receptions. Following his junior season, Cooper would visit and commit to Indiana, where he would become a full-time starter in year three.
Cooper burst onto the scene during his redshirt sophomore season, leading the Big Ten in yards per reception (21.2). However, his contributions last season not only helped win a National Championship, but landed Cooper a spot on the 2nd Team All-Big Ten squad.
Pros
The first thing that comes to mind when talking about Omar Cooper Jr. is the reliability he brings to the game. Cooper has some of the best hands in college football, catching almost everything thrown his way.
His hands are reliable, sure - but Cooper also excels during the process of the catch. Cooper’s compact frame for his size allows him to box out receivers, creating safer windows for the QB to get the ball to.
Another big plus in Cooper’s QB-friendly game is his fluidity. Fluid movement means getting to your spots in the most efficient way possible, without wasting extra steps. Cooper is succinct in his movement both before and after the catch, which gives him the ability to burst out of the catch and create YAC opportunities.
Because Cooper isn’t the fastest or most explosive, he has to be good at not wasting movement. Most of his touchdown catches illustrate just how good Cooper is with this particular skill.
Whether it’s a double move intermediate score, or a short area route into the endzone, Cooper makes his moves quick and concise.
Fans may not think about this as a major part of the position, but Cooper is also a strong and willing blocker in the run game. This blocking strength gives Cooper the ability to not only align at the slot and Z receiver spots, but allows him to play inline and be an extra blocker vs. the run.
Cooper’s fluid route-running, his utility in the run game, and his reliability at the catch point make him a well-rounded threat that can attack the field in many different ways. For a Carolina team that still needs to round out the receiving corps, Cooper is worth a look.
Cons
While Cooper doesn’t mess around with his movement, he isn’t as explosive as some of the other receiver options in the draft. Carolina’s top priority when adding new receivers should be speed, YAC ability, and the ability to create explosives. That isn’t necessarily Cooper’s game.
Cooper also doesn’t fit into the traditional WR mold that the Canales/Morgan regime has targeted recently. All of Tetairoa McMillan, Xavier Legette, and Jalen Coker are listed at 6’3+ or above and 210+ lbs.
Cooper is not that height or weight.
Team Fit
If Carolina comes away from Cooper’s 30 Visit thinking he’s too good to pass up, there’s a real chance he’s the pick at 19. Recent draft intel indicates that many teams in the middle of the draft are in love with Cooper, so the 19th selection falls right in line.
Selecting three consecutive first round wide receivers isn’t the best asset management, but rounding out the WR group is probably Carolina’s biggest need following a productive free agency.
As far as the fit, I think Cooper would be a worthwhile selection. He doesn’t have the high-end explosive ability of someone like KC Concepcion, but Cooper’s superpower is reliability.
For a group of receivers including McMillan (multiple frustrating one-handed drops), Coker (hasn’t played in a full season yet), and Legette (unreliable at the catch point), adding a sure-handed receiver that will do his job every down is incredibly enticing.
Adding a dependable receiver will make Brad Idzik and Bryce Young’s jobs much easier. If selected, I’d have to imagine that Cooper and Coker would rotate the slot and Z receiver positions, while McMillan holds down the X role.
With only two weeks until the first night of the NFL Draft, Carolina has brought in many different players to evaluate. If Morgan’s history of adding players that spent time in the building holds true, we may see Omar Cooper Jr. in Process Blue this season.
For more Panthers draft coverage, check out SportCLT’s draft guide. Included are 100 Player Cards similar to the one above, a full Big Board, a breakdown of Carolina’s roster and positional needs, and more.
SportCLT will have a live NFL Draft show as well. Tune in on Night One (4.23 ~ 8pm EST) to hear analysis on how the first round of the draft shakes out.