Why the 49ers are Considering Omar Cooper Jr. in Round 1of the Draft

The San Francisco 49ers reportedly will host Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. on one of their 30 visits before the 2026 NFL Draft. They clearly want to get to know the player, touch in on his medicals, and get more information about him, which likely means they are considering him significantly. How would Cooper fit into the 49ers plans at wide receiver?

How Omar Cooper Jr translates to the NFL

Cooper has a thick build and strong hands to make tough catches in contested situations. He also does well catching the football away from his body. He uses his strong frame to create yards after the catch and is great with his hands on the football. He runs fast routes and is quick in his releases. Overall, Cooper is a primary slot player who will do well getting the ball in his hands near the line of scrimmage.

Where Omar Cooper Jr can improve in the NFL

He has fast enough feet to run strong routes, but some of them can lack nuance. He can get choppy when breaking outside or over the middle of the field. Cooper has good, but not great, long speed, and while he has 391 career snaps outside, his best season was in 2025 when he played just 16% of his snaps on the outside. Most teams will view him as a slot only.

NFL Comparison for Omar Cooper Jr

The best NFL comparison for Omar Cooper, especially from a physical perspective, is Jayden Reed. You can expect Cooper to have a similar role in the NFL as well. Reed is an excellent threat on the Packers when you get the ball in his hands, and he can create big plays both down the field and with the ball in his hands. However, he is mostly limited to slot work, and the team does have to scheme to get him the ball more than other receivers.

How does Omar Cooper Jr fit with the San Francisco 49ers

This is the type of receiver the 49ers love. He is not quite as thick as Deebo Samuel, but that is another player who is used in a similar manner. The 49ers can get the ball in his hands due to their creative play calling, and they love players who can work after the catch.

Cooper is projected to go around pick 32 according to consensus boards, so the team will have to draft him in round 1 if they plan to take him. It may feel like overkill with Mike Evans and Christian Kirk in the mix, but Kirk has been injured and unproductive in recent years, while Evans has a new injury history.

They can work Cooper in as a rookie and improve his route running, and he would step in over the two older veterans by his second season.