After their first-ever CFP National Championship win earlier this year, the Indiana Hoosiers were bound to see a wave of draft declarations and intense buzz around their players. The program set a record by sending a whopping nine players to the NFL Combine. However, until mid-March, only one player from the 2025 class was projected to go in the first round. QB Fernando Mendoza.
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Now, things have changed, and wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. has become a dark horse prospect. He was expected to go on Day 2, mid-second to early third round, but has now been projected to go as early as 16th overall to the New York Jets by several mock drafts.
But why the sudden surge? College football analyst Joel Klatt has been covering the prospect for a while now, and after reviewing his tape, the former NFL quarterback sees the rise as no surprise. He’s projecting Cooper to go to the Browns (24th overall), praising his ability in short areas, his knack for creating space, and his ability to catch the ball in traffic, which gives the Browns a real threat on the outside.
“[The Browns] have a need at wide receiver. Cooper has been really great in this process. I’ve loved his tape,” Klatt said on his show, adding,
“He’s really good in short area. He can create space, he catches the ball well in traffic. And because of that, this guy knows how to play, I like giving the Browns a threat on the outside. And again, he’s very good with the ball in his hands.”
“I thought he was the best in the Big Ten with the ball in his hands post-catch.”
More from @joelklatt on WR Omar Cooper ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft. pic.twitter.com/TfRLPc682A
— The Joel Klatt Show: A College Football on FOX Pod (@JoelKlattShow) March 18, 2026
Cooper tallied 937 yards and 13 touchdowns on 69 catches last year. Not too groundbreaking, but he can develop into a solid prospect, given his ability to perform in big games.
Cooper’s insane catch, which has even been dubbed the catch of the year, an acrobatic toe-tap touchdown to defeat Penn State, has been praised all over the football world. Klatt couldn’t even believe the catch got made while watching the game.
“From the booth, you’re up a little ways… You’re at the 50-yard line, and I’m looking down to the left, and from my vantage point when I see the play live, (I think) there’s no chance it’s a catch. It looks like he’s hitting his head on the field goal post. I’m like, ‘No, there’s no way,'” Klatt said on his podcast back in November, adding,
“I see the official’s hands go up, and I’m like, ‘Oh, they’re going to replay this.’ So, my immediate reaction was to go to the monitor, which is why I didn’t say much after Gus [Johnson].”
Cooper stood out at the Combine as well, running the 40 in 4.42 seconds. He also recorded a 37-inch vertical, all but confirming elite explosive traits. It’s no wonder his stock is rising.
Other teams like the Steelers, Bills, and Dolphins have been linked to Cooper. It will be interesting to see where he eventually lands.
