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The Pick is in
Pharoh Cooper WR South Carolina
Overview
Many college football players are lacking in discipline, driving their coaches crazy. Cooper does not have that problem, as he grew up in a military family -- his grandfather and father were Marines, and his brother is a Marine. After winning back-to-back state high school titles in North Carolina, Cooper used his maturity to get on the field right away for the Gamecocks, receiving Freshman All-SEC honors as an all-purpose back and returner (359 kick return yards). Once given a chance to receive regular touches on offense, Cooper excelled, garnering consensus first team all-conference recognition as a receiver in 2014 (69-1,136, 11 TD) and second team honors as an all-purpose back (200 rushing yards, two scores). His production dipped a bit in 2015 (66-973, nine TD), but South Carolina's offense struggled in many ways this season. SEC coaches still named him first team all-conference receiver and all-purpose player for his efforts.
Pro Day Results
40-yard dash: 4.63 seconds
Vertical: 30 1/2 inches
Broad jump: 9 feet, 10 inches
Short shuttle: 4.26 seconds
3-cone: 7.15 seconds
Bench: 19 reps of 225 pounds
Analysis
Strengths
Short but compact and strong. Especially fast with first three steps off the line. Reaches top speed almost instantly. Should blaze his 10-yard split at combine. Operates with excellent balance and body control at all times. Staccato footwork and seamless change of direction out of breaks opens early passing window. Will break off route and improvise to free space when route is compromised by coverage underneath it. Competitiveness ramps as soon as he hits the grass. Has burst to steam past safety if cornerback takes bad angle on his slants. Strength to play through contact in his routes. Stutter-go release near goal line is difficult to stop.
Weaknesses
Has neither height nor length for desired catch radius. Was unable to reach big-play throws downfield. Contested catches became a chore. Battled focus and concentration drops at one point. Hip tightness creates rounded routes and limited wiggle after catch. The more wrinkles in the route, the less effective Cooper becomes. Relies on straight line quickness over speed or agility in open field. Limited route exposure while at South Carolina.
Draft Projection
Round 3
Sources Tell Us
"He's a good player. Scouts can't worry about how a player like Cooper is going to be used because that is the OC's job. Our job is to find good football players. He's a good football player." -- NFC South scout
NFL Comparison
Josh Reed
Bottom Line
Amidst turbulent offensive times at South Carolina, Cooper has been a rock with consistent production in all areas of the field. While I see Cooper as slightly limited as a pro due to his reliance on straight-line acceleration and scheme fit, NFL personnel men seem to love his playmaking ability and competitive nature.
Related Links
Pharoh Cooper WR South Carolina
Overview
Many college football players are lacking in discipline, driving their coaches crazy. Cooper does not have that problem, as he grew up in a military family -- his grandfather and father were Marines, and his brother is a Marine. After winning back-to-back state high school titles in North Carolina, Cooper used his maturity to get on the field right away for the Gamecocks, receiving Freshman All-SEC honors as an all-purpose back and returner (359 kick return yards). Once given a chance to receive regular touches on offense, Cooper excelled, garnering consensus first team all-conference recognition as a receiver in 2014 (69-1,136, 11 TD) and second team honors as an all-purpose back (200 rushing yards, two scores). His production dipped a bit in 2015 (66-973, nine TD), but South Carolina's offense struggled in many ways this season. SEC coaches still named him first team all-conference receiver and all-purpose player for his efforts.
Pro Day Results
40-yard dash: 4.63 seconds
Vertical: 30 1/2 inches
Broad jump: 9 feet, 10 inches
Short shuttle: 4.26 seconds
3-cone: 7.15 seconds
Bench: 19 reps of 225 pounds
Analysis
Strengths
Short but compact and strong. Especially fast with first three steps off the line. Reaches top speed almost instantly. Should blaze his 10-yard split at combine. Operates with excellent balance and body control at all times. Staccato footwork and seamless change of direction out of breaks opens early passing window. Will break off route and improvise to free space when route is compromised by coverage underneath it. Competitiveness ramps as soon as he hits the grass. Has burst to steam past safety if cornerback takes bad angle on his slants. Strength to play through contact in his routes. Stutter-go release near goal line is difficult to stop.
Weaknesses
Has neither height nor length for desired catch radius. Was unable to reach big-play throws downfield. Contested catches became a chore. Battled focus and concentration drops at one point. Hip tightness creates rounded routes and limited wiggle after catch. The more wrinkles in the route, the less effective Cooper becomes. Relies on straight line quickness over speed or agility in open field. Limited route exposure while at South Carolina.
Draft Projection
Round 3
Sources Tell Us
"He's a good player. Scouts can't worry about how a player like Cooper is going to be used because that is the OC's job. Our job is to find good football players. He's a good football player." -- NFC South scout
NFL Comparison
Josh Reed
Bottom Line
Amidst turbulent offensive times at South Carolina, Cooper has been a rock with consistent production in all areas of the field. While I see Cooper as slightly limited as a pro due to his reliance on straight-line acceleration and scheme fit, NFL personnel men seem to love his playmaking ability and competitive nature.
Related Links
