NFL

Amari Cooper Makes Smart Choice Declaring for 2015 NFL Draft

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By @rickstavig

Amari Cooper, NFL Draft

Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

Amari Cooper is set to formally announce he will forgo his senior season at the University of Alabama, and will instead enter the 2015 NFL Draft and begin his professional career. Good choice or bad choice? Simply put, it was the only choice to make.

Cooper will very likely be a top-10 pick, potentially even top-5, and when you’re projected that highly, you strike while the iron is hot. His stock isn’t going to get any higher by going back to school for another year, even if he somehow bested his absurd statistics from 2014 (124 receptions, 1,727 yards, 16 TD’s). By going back to school, he’d only risk injury and the potential to damage his already peaking draft stock.

If he truly desires getting the degree, there’s ways to finish up the credits while also finally profiting off his God-given skills.

So where will he land? Let’s just go ahead and assume two quarterbacks (we know who they are) will go at Nos. 1 and 2. Jacksonville Jaguars at No. 3? You can never have enough weapons for a 2nd year franchise QB, but between Marqise Lee, Allen Robinson, Allen Hurns and Cecil Shorts, they’re well stocked at receiver.

Oakland Raiders at No. 4? This would make an awful lot of sense. They’ve still got a plethora of other needs littering their roster, but a legitimate number one talent at wide receiver is high on the list. The need is exacerbated considering the further need to surround young quarterback Derek Carr with weapons to grow with.

Whoever winds up with Cooper will get a pro-ready receiver, both physically and mentally. He doesn’t have truly elite size or speed (6-foot 1, 215-pounds, estimated 4.4 40), but he does everything very well. He’s physical at the line of scrimmage and can get separation, reads coverages, has good hands, tracks and adjusts to deep balls well and is a polished route runner who finds seams in defenses.

Teams knew Alabama was going to throw the ball to him countless times each game and while defenses double and triple covered him, he still found ways to get open and make plays.

Bottom line is Cooper is a stud, and he should make an impact in the NFL right away. Odell Beckham Jr.-like production right off the bat? I don’t know if I’d go that far because that’s a freak rookie year, but I think he could make more of an impact than Sammy Watkins had for the Buffalo Bills this year, who was taken 4th overall in the 2014 NFL Draft.

Rick Stavig is an NFL Draft Columnist for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @rickstavig or add him to your network on Google+.

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