Oakland Raiders 2015 Preview: Three bold player predictions

2. Amari Cooper will be a top 15 receiver his rookie season.

August 14, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders wide receiver Amari Cooper (89) runs with the football against the St. Louis Rams during the first quarter in a preseason NFL football game at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Leonard Williams was the consensus favorite to be selected 4th overall by the Raiders, and Kevin White even received more fan votes in a JBB poll than Amari Cooper did, but it sure does look like Reggie McKenzie made the right call going with Cooper.

Amari flashed big-time ability right away in camp, and was basically uncoverable all off-season. Just ask Keith McGill.

Sure, Oakland’s defensive backs are nothing to write home about, but it’s not only the Raiders defensive backs that are being made look silly. Just ask Patrick Peterson.

Cooper is the most polished route-runner to come out of the draft in years, and that’s a skill he’s made immediately translatable to the next level. Cooper’s ability to get open will act as a fail-safe for Carr when he needs to get the ball out quickly, or on broken plays.

While the team as a whole has taken a few steps towards a brighter future, there is still plenty of work to be done. The team will likely find themselves trailing in a majority of games this season, which means they’ll be throwing a lot. So expect a healthy dose of targets for Mr. Cooper.

What this means is that the AC/DC connection will be in full affect early and often this season, and Raiders fans can expect to see plenty of #CarrBombs to Cooper throughout the season.

So I’m expecting a big year from Amari, and wouldn’t be surprised to see him in the top 15 in receptions this year, while also being just about there for Yards and TD’s as well.

Next: Bold Prediction #3: Raiders OL