The Opening Drive 4/6: Omar Cooper Jr. and the Traits the Browns Need

As the draft draws closer, the Browns should be drawn to the full profile Cooper presents.

PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 01: WR Omar Cooper Jr. #3 of the Indiana Hoosiers looks up field after a catch during the Alabama Crimson Tide versus Indiana Hoosiers College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl Game on January 1, 2026, at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Browns are deep in the wide receiver market and with that market comes some risk in the 2026 NFL Draft. There doesn’t seem to be a locked consensus on who the best prospect is in the group and the class doesn’t seem to have one who is tagged as elite. But the more I study what the Browns are likely to do and who meshes with what they need most, I am drawn to Omar Cooper Jr. out of Indiana.

The Indianapolis native out of Lawrence North spent his first couple of seasons at Indiana in a limited role, before getting more volume and creating a whopping 21.4 yards per reception in 2024. He got an even bigger role in 2025 and he flourished. He produced — 64 catches, 866 yards, 13 touchdowns. He found his fit with Fernando Mendoza who wasn’t afraid to use the middle of the field, where Cooper thrives, while also getting more opportunities outside as well.

Then there’s the bloodline. Cooper comes from a deeply athletic family — his mother was a three-sport standout who earned Indiana All-Star honors in basketball, and his father was a dual-sport athlete who helped his team to multiple championships. As his mother put it, he has a really good combination of both parents, especially in moments when he’s being challenged and needs to dig in and deliver.

Cooper brings so many elements of the NFL game to his profile I had to share more with you guys and we do that today. You can’t help but see an ideal fit in the modern game and one who is willing to do the dirty work with a passion. Something the Browns need from a player who could lead this receiving room for a long time.

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He tracks the ball, he’s tough over the middle, and he doesn’t need a lot of green grass to make something happen after the catch. The drop rate is low, the route running is timing-based rather than speed-dependent, and he can block — which matters for how Indiana likes to use him on the perimeter and as a player who they can put in speed motion to kick out EDGE defenders, climb to linebackers, and more. This is very unique in the class for a player with other top-end traits.