Raiders upgrade receiving corps, select Amari Cooper 4th overall
Follow the action with our NFL Draft Tracker, which includes all seven rounds, scouting profiles, trades and rumors.
The Oakland Raiders made receiver Amari Cooper from Alabama their choice with the fourth overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft.
Cooper is the first receiver selected in this year's draft, and some have compared the 6-foot-1 receiver to Kansas City Chiefs star Jeremy Maclin. The former Alabama standout is an outstanding downfield option and possesses the straight-line speed and catch radius to dominate at the professional level.
The 20-year-old standout is the most polished receiver to come out of Alabama since Julio Jones was selected sixth overall in 2011 by the Atlanta Falcons. Cooper's game-breaking ability is evident and produces large gains after the catch, and will be able to bail out Derek Carr by making catches with multiple defenders surrounding him.
Joining the Raiders, Cooper instantly becomes the team's top receiving option and will claim the majority of targets from incumbents Michael Crabtree and James Jones. Cooper is an outstanding route-runner and should be able to acclimate to the NFL quite easily. Oakland could use Cooper as a slot receiver, but he'll likely feature on the outside.
Amari Cooper Bio
Position: WR
School: Alabama
College Experience: Junior
Height: 6-1
Weight: 211 lbs.
Age: 20
Combine Results
| Event | Result |
|---|---|
| 40-yd Dash | 4.42 sec |
| Bench Press | N/A |
| Vertical Jump | 33 inches |
| Broad Jump | 122 inches |
| 3-Cone Drill | 6.71 sec |
| 20-yd Shuttle | 3.98 sec |
Strengths
- Has the speed to gain separation from defensive backs and sells routes well.
- Often gets defenders to lean the wrong way before coming out of his break.
- Shows the ability to make plays in traffic and is stronger than he looks. Can break tackles if the opposition doesn't wrap up.
- Excellent with the ball in his hands. Can turn short plays into big ones by using his vision.
- Can be used all over the field. Looks comfortable out wide and in the slot.
Weaknesses
- Needs to polish up his route running at the next level.
- Can become complacent at times while running intermediate patterns, and relies too much on his athleticism.
- Could improve his run blocking and add some bulk. Won't easily be able to out-muscle defensive backs in the pros.
- Needs to improve his concentration, as drops were a problem throughout his time at Alabama.