National Champion Wide Receiver Named Dream Draft Pick for Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons could be in need of another weapon in the passing game, and a national champion could be the answer

Time for the Falcons to add a young wide receiver, B/R wrote | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Falcons enter a new era as general manager Ian Cunningham takes the reins of the franchise, looking to reset its trajectory and vault Atlanta back into the playoffs. With free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft fast approaching, Cunningham’s first order of business will be addressing several glaring roster needs, particularly at wide receiver, cornerback and linebacker.

Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport believes Atlanta’s ideal draft outcome starts with landing Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr., giving the Falcons an immediate boost to a thin receiver corps. 

“The Falcons have some fairly pressing needs. They could use some help in the secondary, and the wide receiver room thins out quickly after Drake London,” Davenport wrote.

“With Darnell Mooney the subject of trade speculation and a potential cap casualty, the Falcons need a receiver who can contribute early. Cooper could fit that bill.”

To say Atlanta’s receiver room is thin outside of Drake London may be an understatement. London finished second on the Falcons in receiving yards with 919 and first in receiving touchdowns with seven, despite missing five games. 

Every other wide receiver on the team combined for 892 yards and three touchdowns. Mooney was the only other wideout on the team with over 200 yards. The Falcons desperately need to add another reliable playmaker on the offensive side of the ball, especially in what is shaping up to be a make-or-break season for quarterback Michael Penix Jr.

At 6-foot, 204 pounds, Cooper is coming off a breakout season at Indiana, posting career highs with 68 receptions for 937 yards and 13 touchdowns en route to a National Championship victory, the first in program history.

He also flashed versatility, adding 74 rushing yards on three attempts (24.7 yards per attempt) and a score. His speed would make for a great complement to Drake London. But Cooper’s best trait may be one that often goes unnoticed on the football field.

“He’s the most consistent, reliable, toughest son of a (expletive) blocker in this class at wide receiver.” ESPN’s Todd McShay writes. “He’s 6-foot, maybe just shy, but his effort, his angles, his ability to sustain the way he fights is unparalleled.” 

Cooper’s big-play ability, coupled with his run blocking, would make him an excellent addition to an Atlanta Falcons offense whose engine is star running back Bijan Robinson. 

It’s easy to see why Bleacher Report dubs Cooper as a “dream” target for the Atlanta Falcons. With championship experience, proven production, and a willingness to do the dirty work in the trenches, Cooper fits well with the Falcons' need as they attempt to retool the offense and take a meaningful step forward in 2026.