Jan 1, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Amari Cooper (9) runs the ball during the first quarter of the 2015 Sugar Bowl against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
With the 2014 season over for the Oakland Raiders and plenty of personnel holes to fill, General Manager Reggie McKenzie will have his hands full over the next few months evaluating the college prospects and talking to other teams in order to get the most out of the #4 overall pick. Among the various holes McKenzie needs to fill the need for a dangerous wide receiver that can be a true Number 1 threat for QB Derek Carr ranks highly on the list. Enter Alabama’s Amari Cooper – almost universally considered the best wide receiver in college football this season.
2014 Key Stats: 124 receptions, 1727 receiving yards, 13.9 average yards per reception, 16 TDs, 3 200+ yard games
Yeah, the kid can play. The third year wide receiver has stood out in a variety of ways in a very run-heavy offense against the beast (yes, beast) defenses in the SEC. Still, despite his amazing performances in his college career there are several critiques about him that must be addressed before we get into his strengths.