The Las Vegas Raiders have slowed down on making roster moves ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft. Wide receiver remains a huge need for the team, and there are still some big names available in free agency.
The Raiders don’t appear interested in adding one of those veterans and have met with many high-profile wide receivers in the 2026 draft class. One name who is starting to get talked about as an option for the team is Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr.
With the Raiders likely using the No. 1 pick on Fernando Mendoza, it would be a fun story to pair him with his top receiver at Indiana at the NFL level. It’s not a guarantee that he’ll still be on the board when Las Vegas picks at No. 36 in the second round.
However, in Nick Baumgardner’s latest mock draft for The Athletic, he predicts that the Raiders will end up being able to get Cooper in the second round without having to trade up.
Cooper Compared to Deebo Samuel
Cooper doesn’t fit the mold of an X-receiver, which is what the Raiders really need, but he’s a productive and athletic player. Plus, his family and chemistry with Mendoza would make both of their transitions to the NFL easier.
In Cooper’s draft profile for NFL.com, Lance Zierlein compared the wide receiver to former All-Pro Deebo Samuel.
“Big, strong target whose two-year rise is bolstered by translatable tape,” Zierlein wrote. “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.”
Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak coached Samuel on the San Francisco 49ers, so he should have a good idea of how to use a similar type of player.
Colin Cowherd Thinks Raiders Should Trade Up for Cooper
Giving Mendoza a wide receiver with whom he has proven chemistry would certainly be appealing. Cooper is coming off a season where he had 937 yards and 13 touchdowns.
He’s a very skilled player, but there’s a real chance he could be selected in the first round. Fox Sports’ Colin Cowherd believes that the Raiders need to do what they can to reunite Cooper with Mendoza.
“I’m fascinated to see if the Raiders trade up to get Omar Cooper [Jr.] at the top of the second, or does he fall to them?” Cowherd said on a recent episode of “The Colin Cowherd Podcast.” “If I was the Raiders, and I could get Omar Cooper, the Hoosier wide receiver [and] favorite target of Fernando Mendoza, that would be my pick.”
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