With the hype surrounding the 2026 NFL Draft, the New York Jets must consider taking Indiana Hoosiers' wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr.
With four weeks left in the 2025 NFL regular season, the 2026 NFL Draft has quickly become a hot topic amongst New York Jets fans.
After general manager Darren Mougey’s massive fire sale at the trade deadline this year, the struggling franchise now possesses two first-round picks in both the 2026 and 2027 drafts, with this year’s second first-round pick stemming from a trade that sent star cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts.
Now, New York must plan according to how the organization would like to attack the upcoming draft. Clearly, with both Gardner and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams being traded this season, the defense needs revamping before the 2026 season.
However, multiple spots on offense must be addressed in addition to the defense, including a second wide receiver alongside Garrett Wilson.
Luckily, there is one player who saw his draft stock soar throughout the course of the 2025 college football season in Indiana Hoosiers’ Omar Cooper Jr.
The redshirt junior pass catcher out of the Big Ten Conference has played a key role since his sophomore season, recording 1,665 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns in 39 games. It wasn’t until this year that Cooper began to gain draft hype, as he’s tallied 804 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns on 58 catches.
At 6-foot, 204 lbs., Cooper has a terrific frame that allows him to be a yards-after-the-catch monster for Indiana this season. And while he has some experience playing outside for the Hoosiers this season, the young playmaker spent most of his time this year in the slot, while teammate Elijah Sarratt handles the majority of the outside work.
Cooper is currently the No. 15 receiver in PFF’s 2026 Big Board, as well as the No. 93-ranked player in the class. The 2026 wide receiver class is filled with big-time players, which could work out in the favor of the Jets come April.
While there has been a lot of uncertainty regarding New York’s wide receiving corps this season, the slot position remains the biggest question mark. Wilson, when healthy, is a dynamic route-runner on the outside, but the Jets’ offense could greatly benefit from a power slot in 2026.
Offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand has plenty of experience with power slots, as he was part of a Detroit Lions offense that heavily utilized Amon-Ra St. Brown in 2024.