The Pittsburgh Steelers are going to target receiving help this offseason, whether it be during free agency, the draft, or both. The team met with a number of top receivers last week at the NFL Combine, including Indiana’s Omar Cooper, and The Athletic’s Dane Brugler believes Cooper will ultimately be the team’s first-round selection. In his post-Combine mock draft, he paired the Steelers with the Indiana standout.
“The third wide receiver off the board in this mock, Cooper has the ball skills that would make him a great fit for the Steelers’ quick-strike offense. His strong lower body and toughness make him a chore for defenders to finish to the ground,” Brugler wrote.
It’s been quite the rise for Cooper to be in conversations as one of the top-three receivers in the class. Heading into the pre-draft cycle, he was considered a likely Day 2 selection, albeit probably an earlier one. But Brugler has the Steelers selecting Cooper over the likes of Jordyn Tyson, Denzel Boston and K.C. Concepcion, all of whom went later in the 20s.
Cooper would certainly fit Pittsburgh’s offense as someone who excels at creating yards after the catch. In our scouting report, Alex Kozora compared Cooper to Ladd McConkey, who has excelled through two seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers after being selected in the second-round of the 2024 NFL Draft. The Steelers need a receiver who is a talented route runner, and Cooper certainly fits that bill.
While it would’ve been surprising to see Cooper mocked in the first round even a few weeks ago, he put aside some doubts about his speed by running a 4.42 40-yard dash at the Combine, choosing to run despite playing a 16-game season with Indiana winning the National Championship. He’s one of the fastest rising prospects in this draft, and as it stands right now, it would be surprising if Cooper fell out of the first round.
One thing this mock draft makes clear though is that the Steelers have options at wideout. Ohio State WR Carnell Tate went No. 8 to the New Orleans Saints while USC WR Makai Lemon landed with the New York Jets at No. 16. But the Steelers had Cooper and the aforementioned three receivers available to them at No. 21, and Pittsburgh met with all four at the Combine. Tyson has medical red flags but was considered to be the No. 1 receiver in the class for most of the college football season, while Boston and Concepcion are both likely first-round picks.
But Cooper’s fit in Pittsburgh’s offense makes him a good fit at No. 21, and he’s an intriguing selection here that I like a lot.
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