Cooper, Adams viewed as steals after dropping in NFL Draft
Twelve wide receivers were taken in the 2016 NFL Draft before Pharoh Cooper was grabbed by the Los Angeles Rams in the middle of the fourth round with the No. 117 over pick.
Does that mean Cooper was the 13th best wide receiver available for the draft? No. In fact, most draft analysts listed Cooper among the top 10 wide receivers going into the draft, and three receivers with lower draft grades were taken before Cooper.
By falling into the fourth round, Cooper immediately became one of the draft’s best values as the Rams sought to build a solid receiving corps for No. 1 overall pick, quarterback Jared Goff from California.
Cooper was one of two wide receivers and two tight ends taken by the Rams, which recently relocated to the West Coast from St. Louis.
“I’m surprised he lasted until the fourth round,” ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper said. “Measurables were never going to work in his favor. He is not a workout warrior. He’s a football player. He’s just a tough kid. He blocks, he catches in traffic. He does all the things (you have to do). He’ll go get the football down the field. He’ll do everything you want. He’ll battle into double coverage for the football.”
What caused Cooper’s drop from a projected second or, at worse, third round pick to an eventual fourth-round selection?
The answer is easy – speed.
Cooper ran a 4.63 in the 40-yard dash at South Carolina’s Pro Day in late March. Eleven of the dozen receivers taken before Cooper ran a faster 40 time than he did with eight posting times of 4.50 or better.
Because he lacks top end speed, Cooper should fit into the lineup – and possibly thrive - as the Rams’ slot receiver.
“I thought he was one of the more underrated players in this draft,” ESPN draft analysts Todd McShay said in a recent teleconference with reporters. “I like the quickness. He’s not a top end speed guy. He didn’t run very well at his Pro Day. I know he was disappointed with that. I didn’t see great speed on tape, but that doesn’t mean he is not a good player.”
How enamored is McShay with Cooper? A few days after the draft’s conclusion, he tabbed Cooper as the Ram’s best draft pick taking into account the teams’ needs, the player's value relative to draft position and other players available on the board at the time the pick was made.
Yes, better than Goff.
“He shows a lot of toughness, does a really good job for his size going up and getting the football in the air, competing for the ball in the air,” McShay said. “I think he’s got a chance to contribute. I like him as a slot receiver, a guy who will do the dirty work across the middle of the field.”
Cooper’s fall into the fourth round wasn’t the most surprising drop experienced by a former Gamecock standout. Tight end Jerell Adams, ranked one of the top 50 draft prospects by NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock, lasted until early in the sixth round when he was grabbed by the New York Giants with the No. 184 overall pick.
Before the draft, some analysts thought Adams would be off the board by the end of the third round. Instead, he was the seventh tight end taken when unanimously acclaimed as one of the top four tight ends available.
Why the drop? Even McShay was left scratching his head.
“Honestly, I was really surprised,” McShay said. “I gave him a third round grade and one of the top four tight ends in the class. So, I was really surprised to see him fall that far. But who cares where you get drafted, outside of just the initial slotting? He’s got an opportunity to go in and showcase what he can do.”
Adams’ fall into the sixth round when you consider his impressive physical skills. In a league obsessed with measurables, the athletic Adams is 6-foot-5, has good hands and ran the fastest 40 time of any tight end at the NFL Combine in late February.
Soon after the Combine, McShay elevated Adams to one of his top two tight end draft prospects.
“The speed he brings, the fastest tight end in the Combine, the length he has, the fact that he has continued to put on good weight and he hasn’t lost any speed, (make him an underrated prospect),” McShay said. His effort is outstanding as a blocker.
“Even though he lacks great bulk, he is in there battling on tape. He is the best of all the tight ends in terms of separating from man-to-man coverage. He’s got quickness. He’s got an opportunity to prove a lot of people wrong with his play on the field. “
