The New York Jets selected Indiana football receiver Omar Cooper Jr. with the 30th pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Cooper is the first IU receiver drafted since 2014.
Key points
New York Jets drafted Omar Cooper Jr. with the 30th pick
Cooper is a wide receiver from Indiana football
He had a standout career season in 2025
First IU receiver drafted since 2014
Cory LatimerNew York JetsIndiana footballOmar Cooper Jr.
BLOOMINGTON — The New York Jets drafted Indiana football receiver Omar Cooper Jr. with the No. 30th pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday night.
Cooper, a Lawrence North grad, blossomed into one of the Big Ten’s top receivers over the course of three seasons with the Hoosiers. The dynamic athlete had a career-season for IU in 2025 with one of the most memorable plays in program history.
He’s the first IU receiver drafted since Denver selected CoryLatimer in the second round of the 2014 draft.
Nov 8, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Indiana Hoosiers wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. (3) makes a catch in the end zone for a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images
Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) looks to get by Miami's Romanas O.J. Frederique Jr. (29) during the College Football Playoff National Championship college football game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026.
Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) can't pull in the catch during the Indiana versus Ohio State Big Ten Championship football game at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025.
Q&A
Who was drafted by the New York Jets in the 2026 NFL Draft?
The New York Jets drafted Indiana football receiver Omar Cooper Jr. with the 30th pick.
What position does Omar Cooper Jr. play?
Omar Cooper Jr. plays as a wide receiver.
When was the last time an Indiana receiver was drafted before Omar Cooper Jr.?
The last Indiana receiver drafted before Omar Cooper Jr. was Cory Latimer, selected in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft.
What notable achievement did Omar Cooper Jr. have during his college career?
Omar Cooper Jr. had a career season in 2025, becoming one of the Big Ten’s top receivers.
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Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) runs after the catch during the Indiana versus Michigan State football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025.
Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) during the Indiana versus Illinois football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025
Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) during the Indiana versus Indiana State football game at Memorial Stadium on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025.
Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) makes the catch during the Indiana versus Kennesaw State Big Ten football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025.
Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) celebrates during the Indiana versus Old Dominion football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025.
Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) during the Indiana versus Old Dominion football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025.
Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) makes a catch during spring football practice on Thursday, April 10, 2025.
Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) runs after the catch during the Indiana versus Purdue football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) and Ty Son Lawton (17) celebrate Cooper's touchdown during the Indiana versus Michigan football game at Memorial Stadium on Friday, Nov. 9, 2024.
Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) runs after the catch during the Indiana versus Michigan football game at Memorial Stadium on Friday, Nov. 9, 2024.
Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) celebrates a first down during the Indiana versus Maryland football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024.
Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) celebrates with Charlie Becker (80) during the Indiana versus Western Illinois football game at Memorial Stadium on Friday, Sept. 6, 2024.
Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) runs after the catch during the Indiana versus Western Illinois football game at Memorial Stadium on Friday, Sept. 6, 2024.
Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) runs after the catch during the first half of the Indiana versus Florida International football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024.
Indiana University's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) runs a drill during fall practice at the Mellencamp Pavilion at Indiana University on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024.
Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) runs after the catch during the Indiana football spring game at Memorial Stadaium on Thursday, April 18, 2024.
Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) makes a catch during fall football camp at Indiana University on Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022.
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See the best photos of Indiana football WR Omar Cooper Jr.
Nov 8, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Indiana Hoosiers wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. (3) makes a catch in the end zone for a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images
1 / 20
See the best photos of Indiana football WR Omar Cooper Jr.
Nov 8, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Indiana Hoosiers wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. (3) makes a catch in the end zone for a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images
2 / 20
See the best photos of Indiana football WR Omar Cooper Jr.
Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) looks to get by Miami's Romanas O.J. Frederique Jr. (29) during the College Football Playoff National Championship college football game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026.
3 / 20
See the best photos of Indiana football WR Omar Cooper Jr.
Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) can't pull in the catch during the Indiana versus Ohio State Big Ten Championship football game at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025.
4 / 20
See the best photos of Indiana football WR Omar Cooper Jr.
Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) runs after the catch during the Indiana versus Michigan State football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025.
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See the best photos of Indiana football WR Omar Cooper Jr.
Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) during the Indiana versus Illinois football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025
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New York Jets pick Indiana football's Omar Cooper Jr. in first round of 2026 NFL Draft
Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) during the Indiana versus Indiana State football game at Memorial Stadium on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025.
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See the best photos of Indiana football WR Omar Cooper Jr.
Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) makes the catch during the Indiana versus Kennesaw State Big Ten football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025.
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New York Jets pick Indiana football's Omar Cooper Jr. in first round of 2026 NFL Draft
Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) celebrates during the Indiana versus Old Dominion football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025.
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See the best photos of Indiana football WR Omar Cooper Jr.
Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) during the Indiana versus Old Dominion football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025.
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See the best photos of Indiana football WR Omar Cooper Jr.
Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) makes a catch during spring football practice on Thursday, April 10, 2025.
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See the best photos of Indiana football WR Omar Cooper Jr.
Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) runs after the catch during the Indiana versus Purdue football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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See the best photos of Indiana football WR Omar Cooper Jr.
Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) and Ty Son Lawton (17) celebrate Cooper's touchdown during the Indiana versus Michigan football game at Memorial Stadium on Friday, Nov. 9, 2024.
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See the best photos of Indiana football WR Omar Cooper Jr.
Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) runs after the catch during the Indiana versus Michigan football game at Memorial Stadium on Friday, Nov. 9, 2024.
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See the best photos of Indiana football WR Omar Cooper Jr.
Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) celebrates a first down during the Indiana versus Maryland football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024.
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See the best photos of Indiana football WR Omar Cooper Jr.
Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) celebrates with Charlie Becker (80) during the Indiana versus Western Illinois football game at Memorial Stadium on Friday, Sept. 6, 2024.
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See the best photos of Indiana football WR Omar Cooper Jr.
Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) runs after the catch during the Indiana versus Western Illinois football game at Memorial Stadium on Friday, Sept. 6, 2024.
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New York Jets pick Indiana football's Omar Cooper Jr. in first round of 2026 NFL Draft
Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) runs after the catch during the first half of the Indiana versus Florida International football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024.
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See the best photos of Indiana football WR Omar Cooper Jr.
Indiana University's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) runs a drill during fall practice at the Mellencamp Pavilion at Indiana University on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024.
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See the best photos of Indiana football WR Omar Cooper Jr.
Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) runs after the catch during the Indiana football spring game at Memorial Stadaium on Thursday, April 18, 2024.
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See the best photos of Indiana football WR Omar Cooper Jr.
Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) makes a catch during fall football camp at Indiana University on Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022.
Indiana football receiver Omar Cooper Jr. highlights
There’s none bigger than his toe-tap touchdown at Penn State. The receiver made a leaping grab in the back of the end zone with 36 seconds to go. He showed incredible body control to get a foot down in bounds with Zakee Wheatley trying to push him out of bounds.
“I saw his focus,” Cooper’s mother Vnemina told The Herald-Times. “He didn't just get one toe down, he got two.”
Early in the season, he hit 21.1 mph on a 75-yard touchdown run against Kennesaw State and had 10 catches for 207 yards with four touchdowns in a win over Indiana State. It was the ninth 200-yard receiving game in program history and tied a single-game record for receiving touchdowns.
“That’s a quarterback’s dream,” Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza said.
Cooper closed out the year with five catches for 71 yards in the national title game against Miami.
Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) during the Indiana versus Indiana State football game at Memorial Stadium on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025.
Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) during the Indiana versus Indiana State football game at Memorial Stadium on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025.
Indiana football receiver Omar Cooper Jr. NFL Combine results
Cooper received an NFL combine invite, but waited to do most of his testing until IU’s Pro Day. In Indianapolis, he ran a 4.42 second 40-yard dash. He performed a 37-inch vertical jump at his Pro Day. He had a 9.16 Relative Athletic Score, a metric that evaluates NFL prospects by comparing their athletic ability to historical data for their specific position. The score ranked 355 out of 4,196 receivers tested going back to 1987.
Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) celebrates during the Indiana versus Old Dominion football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025.
Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) celebrates during the Indiana versus Old Dominion football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025.
Indiana football receiver Omar Cooper Jr. stats
Cooper had career-numbers across the board with 69 catches for 937 yards and 13 touchdowns. The 13 touchdown receptions tied for third-most in the country behind teammate Elijah Sarratt and Georgia South’s Camden Brown. He had eight receptions for 274 yards and four scores on throws of 20-yards or more through the air. Cooper is just one of six IU players in program history with 20 or more career touchdowns.
Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) runs after the catch during the first half of the Indiana versus Florida International football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024.
Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) runs after the catch during the first half of the Indiana versus Florida International football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024.
Indiana football receiver Omar Cooper Jr. scouting report
Cooper expressed initial concerns about moving to the slot in 2025, but the position change ultimately highlighted his versatility and made him an even more attractive draft prospect. He was a menace in the open field with 27 forced missed tackles, tied for fourth most among receivers. Cooper’s game-winning touchdown against Penn State highlighted his sure hands and contested-catch ability. He ranked No. 29 in USA Today’s top 200 draft prospects.
Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on X @michaelniziolek and read all his coverage by clicking here.