Prospect Comparison: Amari Cooper vs. Kevin White

theScore's prospect comparison series takes an in-depth, head-to-head look at some of the top players leading up to the 2015 NFL Draft.

Prospect Comparisons
Marcus Mariota vs. Jameis Winston
Amari Cooper vs. Kevin White
Vic Beasley vs. Dante Fowler
Todd Gurley vs. Melvin Gordon

Amari Cooper vs. Kevin White

Wide receiver is another of the most highly debated position groups at the top of this year's draft class, with Alabama's Amari Cooper and West Virginia's Kevin White holding the top two spots.

White settled any and all questions about his top-end speed with an impressive performance at February's combine, but was it enough to vault him ahead of the most productive receiver in the nation?

Speed/Quickness

A standout combine performance - including a 40-yard dash time reportedly much faster than the figures released to the public - can't be the sole evaluation of Cooper's abilities as a prospect, but it confirmed the elite-level athleticism he showed on tape throughout his career at Alabama. Utilizing a combination of impressive top-end speed and quickness in and out of his breaks, Cooper can create separation and beat defenders in any number of ways.

Though White grades out behind Cooper when it comes to the overall combination of speed and agility, it's not by much. In fact, doing so at his imposing size should be a scary thought for opposing defensive backs. It's the short-area quickness that sets Cooper apart, though, rivalling that of one of the NFL's best and most difficult receivers to cover, Antonio Brown.

Advantage: Cooper

Route Running

Without the size or leaping ability to win consistently over the top of defensive backs, route running in the short/intermediate passing game is where Cooper makes his most significant impact. Not only does his elite combination of speed and lateral quickness make him the top route runner in the class, but with some experience at the next level, Cooper has the potential to become one of the NFL's best in short order.

White will need more work as a route-runner, but it's another area he's far more skilled than other players of his size and frame would be at this point in their careers. Likely to make his impact as a vertical threat and underneath target early on, continued development in his route-running could see White expand his game to all areas of the field.

Advantage: Cooper

Hands

For all the plays Cooper made throughout his collegiate career, a somewhat concerning drop rate is one of the lone factors working against him. Having demonstrated good hands in making some difficult catches, though, Cooper's issues look to be a matter of losing focus more than poor hands.

White was much improved as a pass catcher in 2014, demonstrating consistently strong hands to come down with the ball in traffic. The limited production and issues with drops in the year prior leave some question marks, however, making this trait comparison relatively even overall.

Advantage: Push

Size/Frame

At 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, with both long arms and a solid build, White is one of the most physically gifted players in this year's class of wide receivers, capable of shielding off defenders to make plays on the ball. While the frame isn't exactly rare to the position in the NFL, the way in which he uses his size and strength makes him that much more of a daunting matchup in the passing game.

Given Cooper's playing style - consistently winning with quickness in and out of his breaks - his 6-foot-1, 211-pound frame is still a fairly solid mark. Cooper's relative lack of height doesn't make him as much of a threat in jump ball situations, but that's never been a staple of his otherwise complete game.

Advantage: White

Physicality

Though Cooper's strength as a runner after the catch may be one of the most underrated aspects of his game - allowing him to pick up consistent yards after working over defensive backs in the short and intermediate areas of the field - it'd be difficult for any wide receiver to match the physicality White brings to the table.

Combining his impressive size and competitiveness with physicality both before and after the catch, White is the kind of playmaker defenders will have difficulty bringing to the ground at any level. Though he only emerged as a top prospect this past season, the attitude with which he plays bodes well for his chances of continuing to improve with further experience.

Advantage: White

Overall Comparison

Advantage: Cooper

While this year's top two receivers are even in the evaluated categories, the two in which Cooper holds a clear advantage are the ones more indicative of success at the NFL level.

Both should come off the board within the top 10 picks at the end of the month, and they should quickly become No. 1 targets with their respective teams for a long time to come. However, the athleticism Cooper demonstrates in tandem with his elite route-running ability - at just 20 years old - makes him the best of yet another talented group of wide receiver prospects.