NFL Draft Film Room: Alabama’s Amari Cooper is Scary Good

Sep 20, 2014; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Amari Cooper (9) celebrates his touchdown catch in the fourth quarter of their game against the Florida Gators at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Alabama won 42-21. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper is catching everything these days.

After a disappointing sophomore slump in which he managed only 45 receptions on the season, Cooper has 43 catches in 2014 through four games with five touchdowns, which is already one more than he had a year ago.

Cooper is beating defensive backs in a variety of ways, but even against perfect coverage, he’s showing an ability to win jump ball battles, outsmart defenders, and basically make it impossible to cover him.

With his speed, quickness, and strong hands, Cooper looks like the best receiver in the nation right now, and perhaps the unquestioned front runner for the top receiver in this year’s draft class if he declares, which I’m guessing he will. Cooper is 6’1″ 210 pounds and you can see his physicality and overall running back size come into play as a huge advantage both after the catch as well as in the red zone and one-on-one situations.

Cooper is lining up on the outside primarily, but Alabama has also utilized him in the slot and is doing whatever they possibly can to get him the ball. And like I said before, he’s catching everything.

Against Florida, Cooper had 10 catches for 200 yards and three touchdowns, another touchdown taken away due to offensive pass interference, and another touchdown just missed by about an inch.

Thanks to the folks at DraftBreakdown.com, you can already watch a cutup of Cooper’s dominance in this game. It was truly impressive to watch, especially since Alabama had keyed in on him from the very start of the game. Cooper even shows off some run blocking skills at one point in that cutup, throwing a defender to the ground and opening a way for a big run to his side of the field.

I am not sure who Cooper really reminds me of. He’s got the size of Sammy Watkins, but I don’t know if he’s quite that fast. He’s got strong hands like Anquan Boldin, but he’s much faster than that. He can burn you underneath, over the top, after the catch, and he’s a strong red zone option, one of the best in the country.

He’s sure-handed, and though not without flaw, this is a good looking wide receiver prospect and a guy that is going to be a great NFL player. He does a good job of getting off press coverage at the line, and making defenders work with his initial burst and quickness. He’s quick in and out of his breaks, and works his way open in the middle of the field if need be.

This has the makings of a top 10 pick in the works, so keep watching and enjoying him in college while you still can.