If Cowboys go offense early in draft, this player could be the target

PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 01: WR Omar Cooper Jr. #3 of the Indiana Hoosiers looks up field after a catch during the Alabama Crimson Tide versus Indiana Hoosiers College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl Game on January 1, 2026, at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

We continue our 2026 NFL Draft preview of draft prospects that could interest the Dallas Cowboys**.**Today we are looking at wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. from Indiana.

Omar Cooper Jr.

WR
Indiana Hoosiers
Junior 
3-star recruit 
6’0”
199 lbs

History

In his first year at Indiana, Omar Cooper Jr. essentially took a redshirt developmental year and worked on special teams. He played four games and logged four kickoff returns for 63 yards with no offensive receptions.

In year two, he started to carve out a rotation role. He played nine games registering 18 receptions, 267 yards and two TDs. This was his flash season without being a featured target yet.

In year three, he became a big-play and red-zone weapon. He played 13 games with 28 receptions for 594 yards and seven receiving TDs. He also added two rushes for 23 yards and one rushing TD. The turning point game for Cooper came against Maryland, where he had four receptions for 83 yards and one TD that helped push his season momentum.

In year four, he made the leap from dangerous complementary target to national-name playmaker for Indiana’s title run. He played 16 games and had 69 receptions, 937 yards, 13 receiving TDs, plus three carries for 74 yards and one rushing TD. His biggest regular-season explosion was versus Indiana State when he tied an Indiana single-game receiving TD record after making 10 receptions for 207 yards and scoring four touchdowns. He also made one of the season’s signature moments at Penn State with a game-winning toe-tap touchdown catch that kept Indiana undefeated.

2025 Statistics

764 Offensive Snaps
91 Targets
69 Receptions
937 Receiving Yards
13 Receiving Touchdowns 
58.6 YPG
494 YAC
3 Dropped Passes
27 Missed Tackles Forced
44 First Downs
143.2 Passer RTG When Targeted
0 Penalties

Snap by Position

Slot: 83%
Wideout: 15%

NFL Combine/Pro Day

Awards

2025: Second-Team All–Big Ten 
Second-Team All-American

Scorecard

Overall**–**81.7
Speed- 80
Acceleration- 80
Agility- 77
Strength- 85
Catching- 85
Route Running- 80
Ball Tracking- 78
YAC Skills- 89
Blocking- 77
Discipline- 94

THE GOOD

• Elite YAC profile
• Runs through arm tackles, finishes forward, and consistently turns routine throws into chunk gains
• Physical, fearless play style
• Takes contact and wins collision catches
• Stems through contact well and continuously fights for leverage
• Strong hands and ball skills in traffic
• Shows good spatial awareness working underneath and settling in windows
• Acceleration to stack nickelbacks is very good
• A tough, team-first receiver who’ll do the non-glamorous reps without complaint

THE BAD

• Not a pure separator route runner
• Relies a lot on his strength than trying to separate with nuanced stems and tempo
• Limited route-tree
• Top-end speed is questionable
• Physical corners can slow his releases
• Catch consistency due to concentration lapses
• Role projection is limited in the NFL

THE FIT

Cooper Jr. fits best as a big-slot receiver in a spread or West Coast–offense that manufactures touches and lets him win after the catch. His calling card is physical YAC skills, contact balance, and tackle-breaking rather than being a pure X-receiver. You maximize him by using motion to keep him off press, giving him a defined runway, and pairing him with a true separator so defenses can’t bracket his in-breaking routes.

SUMMARY

Omar Cooper Jr. profiles as a compact, physical, yards after catch receiver who wins with toughness, balance, and burst rather than finesse separation. He’s dangerous on slants, crossers, screens and glance routes because he runs through arm tackles, finishes forward, and turns routine completions into big gains. He also brings real competitiveness at the catch point for his size and can work over the middle without flinching, which gives him dependable third-down value.

The main improvement points are on the perimeter and the route tree side. He’s not a pure outside X who consistently beats press man with length and long-speed, and he’ll need more nuance at the top of routes to be a high-volume NFL target.

Overall, the projection is a starting-caliber big slot who can be schemed into touches early and grow into a reliable chain mover and red-zone or after-catch weapon.

PRO COMPARISON

DJ Moore

BTB OVERALL RANKING

50th

CONSENSUS OVERALL RANKING

22nd
(Consensus ranking based on the average ranking from 90 major scoring services, including BTB)