With April officially here, the countdown to the 2026 NFL Draft is officially on. The Chicago Bears will have four picks in the top 100, including two in the second round, providing the front office with plenty of opportunities to add long-term building blocks as the team continues year two of the Ben Johnson-Ryan Poles era.
Despite having wide receivers Luther Burden III, Rome Odunze, and signing veteran Kalif Raymond in free agency, the Bears could decide that adding to an already loaded offense means drafting a wide receiver.
One name that could make sense as a potential fit is Indiana Hoosiers wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr.
Let's get into our scouting report on Cooper.
Omar Cooper, Indiana, (6-foot-0, 199 pounds)
From his NFL.com draft profile via Lance Zierlein:
"Big, strong target whose two-year rise is bolstered by translatable tape. While he was a full-time slot receiver in 2025, Cooper has played outside, as well. He can stem and drive past press with his strength. He has potent early acceleration to climb past nickelbacks into top position to challenge deep. His routes lack polish and he has average in-and-out quickness at break-points, but he's rugged once the ball is in his hands. His ability to add yards after contact could earn Cooper more carries than we saw from him at Indiana. Fighting for catch space and blocking for the running game are areas where he needs improvement. Cooper is an ascending slot bully with Day 2 value."
Film:
Strengths:
- Natural strength shows up on film.
- Dangerous in space, even when he gets schemed open.
- Can play all over the field and will bring a ton of versatility to an offense.
- Breaks tackles at will with the ball in his hands.
- Excellent yards after catch ability.
- Speed shows up on every play, especially when he gets into space.
Weaknesses:
- Average route runner who needs to really improve in this area to take another step forward.
- Struggles to make contested catches.
- Unable to operate with a high level of efficiency when assessing his short-area quickness.
- Teams may see him as being only a slot receiver at the next level.
Does Cooper fit the Bears offense?
Yes and no. If the Bears are looking to add a gadget player on offense in 2026 and a true WR3, then Cooper fits the bill. He's a solid player who is most effective when he's in space and gets open looks. But the inability to run block and remain tough at the catch point make him a liability, especially against bigger, stronger, and faster defenses at the next level. With Burden and Odunze being the two primary receivers for Chicago, he's likely limited to the slot as a rookie but the Bears could decide to give him a bigger role as the season progresses, if he continues to develop.
Conclusion:
Cooper will find a role in an offense that allows his versatility to come to life. He's still a high upside player, especially if his route running continues to develop and he finds a way to be more consistent with contested catches.
Not a VIP subscriber to the Bear Report? Sign up now to get access to everything publisher Zack Pearson and the entire Bear Report team have to offer on all things Chicago Bears and access to the No. 1 site covering the team!