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Omar Cooper Jr. was selected 30th overall by the New York Jets in the 2026 NFL Draft. He is recognized as one of the top receivers from Indiana, marking a significant moment for the program.
Omar Cooper Jr. picked 30th in 2026 NFL Draft. Here's what the New York Jets are getting
The New York Jets drafted Indiana football receiver Omar Cooper Jr. with the 30th pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday in Pittsburgh.
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 Cory Latimer in the second round of the 2014 draft.
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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.
Omar Cooper Jr. is a wide receiver from Indiana who was drafted 30th overall by the New York Jets due to his standout performance in the Big Ten.
Omar Cooper Jr. is expected to enhance the Jets' receiving corps with his dynamic playmaking ability and experience as one of the top receivers in college football.
The last Indiana receiver drafted before Omar Cooper Jr. was Cory Latimer, who was selected in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft.
Omar Cooper Jr. had a career season in 2025, becoming one of the Big Ten's top receivers and making one of the most memorable plays in Indiana football history.
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“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.
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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.
From the combine: How Lawrence North grad, Indiana football receiver ascended into top NFL draft prospect
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.
Insider: Omar Cooper Jr.'s bumpy journey from Lawrence North to IU football star still has level left
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.
Memorable moment: How Indiana receiver Omar Cooper completed one of the biggest catches in team history
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Omar Cooper Jr. picked by New York Jets in 2026 NFL Draft: Stats, analysis