Omar Cooper Jr, Indiana
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Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr trying to make a play during a college football game against Miami.
The New York Jets are interested in Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr.
However, there is a line drawn in the sand with how high they’d actually consider selecting him in the 2026 NFL draft. Insider Tony Pauline of Essentially Sports explained the details in a recent column.
“Cooper is building momentum amongst scouts and receiver coaches. He’s athletic and is a terrific pass catcher with a developing game, and people boast about his character. Cooper has spoken with every team from pick 18 to 36. The Carolina Panthers, who own the 19th selection, are bringing Cooper in for an official-30 visit. In a recent mock draft, I had the Panthers taking a receiver with that selection, though it was Jordyn Tyson,” Pauline wrote.
“I’m told Cooper is in play for the Pittsburgh Steelers at pick No. 21 despite trading for Michael Pittman, and the New York Jets are also high on the speedy wideout, though they would only consider him with the 33rd pick,” Pauline added.
The Game of Cat and Mouse Begins
Gang Green has four picks inside the top 44. There are players they like at varying points, but it has to be the right price.
For example, Cooper is a talented pass catcher that the Jets seem genuinely interested in. However, they have to play the game. In a perfect world, they can select Cooper at pick No. 33 overall, which opens up the door to do something else at picks No. 2 and No. 16, respectively.
Sometimes you risk it to get the biscuit. There is a 17 pick gap between picks No. 16 and No. 33. That is a long time to be waiting on pins and needles. Sometimes it works out, and sometimes it doesn’t.
If the Jets pass on Cooper at pick No. 16, there is no guarantee that he will still be on the board at pick No. 33.
On the consensus big board, Cooper is ranked as the 24th-best overall player in this class. In those same rankings, he is ranked as the fourth-best WR prospect.
Patience May Prove to Be a Virtue
Naturally, when you’re coming off a 3-14 season, you have a lot of needs as a football team.
One of the most popular mock draft selections has been penciling in a wide receiver for the Jets at pick No. 16. That makes sense.
One of the top three receivers in this class occasionally falls down the board in mock draft scenarios. In no particular order, that group includes USC’s Makai Lemon, Ohio State’s Carnell Tate, and Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson.
However, if the Jets attack other positions early and wait to address WR until pick No. 33, that might pan out better than overdrafting Cooper at pick No. 16.
Running through different mock draft situations, there appears to be a second-tier cluster that is consistently on the board when the Jets are on the clock in the second round:
Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr
Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion
Washington’s Denzel Boston
The Jets don’t need a superstar; they already have one of those in Garrett Wilson. What they need is a competent side piece, and any player from this cluster would check that item off the bucket list.