Indiana's Standout Pass-Catcher Is Looking Forward to Working Alongside Garrett Wilson and Jets Wideouts

Randy Lange

The Jets have signed wide receiverOmar Cooper Jr., their third selection of Round 1 and the 30th player taken overall in the recent NFL Draft.

The Jets, after spending their two first-round picks to draft edgeDavid Baileyand TEKenyon Sadiq, were faced with having the first pick of Round 2 and missing out on taking the versatile big-play maker from Indiana. But they and San Francisco engineered a trade that enabled the Jets to move from 33rd to 30th to get Cooper.

And Cooper is glad they did.

"It's really just a blessing, knowing that a team really thinks so highly of me to trade up for me,"Coopertoldnyjets.comright after he was drafted by the Green & White. "I was just excited, pure joy, just grateful, really."

Those are the kinds of emotions Cooper gave Indiana football fans during his four seasons of growth with the Hoosiers, and especially in his last two seasons,

In 2024, the 6-0, 199-pounder ranked fourth in the FBS with 21.2 yards/catch on 28 receptions for 594 yards and 7 touchdowns. Last season, he upped the ante with 69 catches for 937 yards (13.6 yards/catch) and 13 TDs, tied for third in the FBS.

Cooper was a part of the speed fleet that the Jets brought in during the first two rounds of the draft. His 4.42 time in the 40 at the combine meshes nicely with the 4.50 of Bailey, the 4.39 of Sadiq and the pro day 4.31 time forD'Angelo Ponds, the second-round corner who was Cooper's two-year IU teammate.

Now he comes to the Jets, who are refurbishing their receiving corps, surrounding WR Garrett Wilson and QB Geno Smith with returnees in WRAdonai Mitchelland TEMason Taylorand with him and fellow first-rounder Sadiq.

"Being able to play alongsideGarrett WilsonandAdonai Mitchellis exciting those are two guys I watched when I was younger," Cooper said. "Being able to play with them, learn from them is something I'm definitely looking forward to."

On Friday, the Jets completed their first week of organized team activities (OTAs).

"Just looking forward to learning from the older guys in the room, especially, and just being able to get the playbook down, just trying to learn every position, really," Cooper said during rookie minicamp. "Trying to learn the playbook from the inside out so I can be able to move around and not just be stuck in one position, but then also just learning from the older guys continue to perfect and build my craft."