Recent Forum Topics › Forums › The Rams Huddle › Pharoh Cooper
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April 30, 2016 at 9:36 pm #43084
znModeratorAll this is formatted by chris00cm
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Lance Zierlein
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.
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Dane Brugler & Rob Rang
STRENGTHS: As his production indicates, Cooper served as a jack-of-all trades for the Gamecocks and projects as a similarly versatile player in the NFL.
Shows vision, subtle cuts and balance to absorb a hit and keep his feet, traits which will help him maintain a steady role as a returner. He’s quick to the hole, wasting no time dancing and accelerates smoothly.Cooper generally has good hands, exhibiting impressive body control and hand-eye coordination to pluck throws from outside of his frame. He appears to be more comfortable coming back toward the ball rather than tracking it over his shoulder at this time.
He was even utilized often as a wildcat quarterback in 2015 to take advantage of his versatility.
WEAKNESSES: Cooper wasn’t asked to run many complicated routes in South Carolina’s offense, often going in motion for quick dump-offs, quick-screens or verticals. Does not possess the elite breakaway speed that his five career scores of 70-plus yards would indicate. Not stout enough to routinely handle carries at the next level. Ball protection could be an issue.
When asked to run more intricate routes like post-corners, Cooper shows that he’s still a work in progress as a route-runner, shuffling rather than exploding out of his cuts.
COMPARES TO: Randall Cobb, Green Bay Packers – Like Cobb at Kentucky, Cooper was a do-everything weapon for the Gamecocks who can create with the ball in his hands, taking direct snaps or playing on the outside.
IN OUR VIEW: Cooper is an electric athlete in the open field with light feet and creative moves to easily redirect his momentum without slowing down. And those change of direction skills allow him to separate in his routes with the speed and vision to eliminate pursuit angles. Cooper lacks ideal size and strength, but can impact the game in several ways on offense and special teams, which boosts his NFL value.
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PFF
What he does best:
• Great in space, 16 missed tackles forced on 66 receptions in 2015
• Very quick feet, a big part of the reason he made so many people miss tackles
• Explosive, possibly an impact player as a returner too. Returned 27 punts in 2014 and 2015, with a long of 24 yards in both seasons
• Best fit may be as a vertical slot receiver where his acceleration and speed will play well against slot corners
• Can also be effective if given the ball on screens, slants, and shallow crosses as his acceleration allows him to get to top speed in a hurryBiggest concern:
• Really struggles against press, poor use of hands to shake free
• Not a typical slot route runner, not as proficient as using the “two-way go” to take advantages of defenders
• Will run some sloppy routes, often lacks the wiggle at the top of his stem
• Not physical at the catch point
• Still fairly raw. Needs to develop all round game if he is going to be more than just good in spacePro style comparison:
Doug Baldwin, Seattle Seahawks. Baldwin can do some damage in the short game, but he separates himself from other slot receivers by making big plays as a vertical threat as well. Cooper can be productive in a similar role.Bottom line:
Cooper is far from the finished product, but as a big-play threat from the slot and a player that can be used as a space player and return specialist, he adds value in the middle rounds.Highlights:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v467tXB3ebM%5D
April 30, 2016 at 9:44 pm #43088znModeratorApril 30, 2016 at 10:21 pm #43092
canadaramParticipantOurlads
Junior entry and two-year starter from Havelock, NC. First-team All-SEC two years in a row. A jack-of-all-trades type of athlete. Lines up 84% of the time in the slot as an inside receiver. No top college receiver was in the slot alignment more than Cooper. He did, however, have aligned drop rate than most receivers, losing the handle on 8.2% of his targets passes. Built like a running back. Explosive from a dead stop. Instant acceleration. Sudden change of direction. Quick cuts in and out of his breaks. Not shy about crossing the middle. Has courage and grit between the hash marks. An instinctive runner who can find the seems and holes in the secondary. Has enough lower body power to break tackles. A competitor who plays with intensity. Not afraid to inline block. Physically tough and aggressive. Can adjust on the move when blocking downfield. A slot receiver who is quicker than fast. Needs work on his routes. More power than shake. Averaged 4.58 yards on 12 punt returns. Pro day numbers: 9-8/BJ, 6.75/3 cone. 2015 stats: 37-644, 17.4 ypr, 4 TD. OSR: 14/42. Third/fourth round. (A-32, H- 10 3/8, VJ -37.5, SS-4.41).
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This reply was modified 8 years, 8 months ago by canadaram.
April 30, 2016 at 10:28 pm #43096
MackeyserModeratorHe’s a player. He’ll need a bit, but he should be good.
Sports is the crucible of human virtue. The distillate remains are human vice.
May 1, 2016 at 12:08 pm #43203canadaramParticipanthttp://www.thehuddlereport.com/archive/2016profiles/Pharoh.Cooper.htm
Drew Boylhart
Pharoh Cooper WR South Carolina
STRENGTHS
Pharoh reminds me of a lot of the Packers’ Randle Cobb and if used in the same way, Pharoh can impact for the team that selects him. He is mentally tough and loves the physical aspect of the game in general. He has excellent hands and a big catch radius for his size and is fearless when catching the ball on any route. He has that Danny Woodhead type burst that makes it hard to cover him off the line of scrimmage. Pharoh has quick feet and good lateral agility and although he is not fast, he seems to run just as fast as he needs to in order to not get caught from behind. Inside of the forty yard line, he is a dangerous player catching the ball, making yardage after the catch and scoring. He is the type of player that drives opponents’ coaches to drink because he doesn’t seem to be fast or quick on film, but all he does is make impact plays and score touchdowns once the game starts. He has excellent football intelligence, the instincts and on field maturity that will allow him to play above and beyond his workout numbers.CONCERNS
All I can tell you is that, in watching the film, the size-speed ratio numbers most teams are looking for at the combine won’t be there for teams to draft Pharoh very high. I just think football is about not what a player does or doesn’t do in a workout, but what he does on the field.TALENT BOARD ROUND: 2
You look at Pharoh and nothing physically stands out to draw your attention to him before the start of a game. He doesn’t look like the best athlete and is not the fastest — in fact he looks like he might be a good special teams player, but that’s about it. Then the game starts and he starts making plays, getting into his opponent’s head and driving him crazy. Pharoh is not big enough or fast enough to impact, but for some reason, you can’t catch him on crossing routes and he always seems to jump higher and catch the ball above taller players. He throws option passes and they don’t seem to have the strength and velocity to make it to the receiver and yet, as you watch the ball it winds up being the perfect pass for a touchdown. He’s an impact player having fun and playing with a passion that seems to be lost in most players in today’s game, but most of all he is fearless. With his football intelligence and instincts, Pharoh is that type of player who will drive opposing coaches nuts. I mean seriously. I can just see coaches at half-time in a game screaming at their players, “For the love of God, please just tackle him and stop him from scoring!”Drew Boylhart FEB.2016
May 1, 2016 at 1:32 pm #43205znModeratorDrew Boylhart
Pharoh Cooper WR South Carolina
STRENGTHSYou’re doing good work, CR. Adding stuff to the mix. Thanks.
May 1, 2016 at 2:44 pm #43212znModeratorDraft drop ‘absolutely motivation’ for Gamecocks’ Pharoh Cooper heading to L.A.
David Caraviello
COLUMBIA — Pharoh Cooper received exactly one phone call from the Los Angeles Rams, from a special teams coach asking to see some film. That was the only contact between the organization and the South Carolina receiver until Saturday, when they added him to a skill-position haul in the NFL draft.
“Caught me by surprise,” the two-time All-SEC player told Rams media on a conference call.
Projected as a second- or third-round selection, Cooper instead lasted until the 117th overall pick of the fourth round. He joins a Rams draft class that includes quarterback Jared Goff from Cal, the No. 1 overall pick, as well as receiver Mike Thomas of Southern Miss and tight ends Tyler Higbee of Western Kentucky and Temarrack Hemingway of South Carolina State.
And as the 12th receiver taken — behind some fellow SEC wideouts like Georgia’s Malcolm Mitchell and Auburn’s Ricardo Louis, whose numbers he eclipsed last season — the 5-11, 203-pound Cooper feels he has plenty to prove.
“Absolutely,” he said. “(Friday) night, I could get any sleep. I was banking on going second or third (round), honestly, just from hearing everything. But this is absolutely motivation. That’s all it is, motivation, to prove I should have been a first-round pick or a second-round pick. But I ended up in the right spot, I believe, and we’re going to see how it goes from there.”
Cooper was one of three former Gamecocks drafted. Offensive tackle Brandon Shell, a Goose Creek native, went in the fifth round to the Jets, and tight end Jerell Adams from Pinewood went in the sixth round to the Giants. Undrafted former USC players who signed free-agent deals included tailback Brandon Wilds and defensive tackle Gerald Dixon Jr. with the Falcons, and safety Isaiah Johnson with the Buccaneers.
But the first to go was Cooper, who led the Gamecocks last season with 973 receiving yards and eight touchdowns, and left school after his junior season. The all-purpose player, who came to USC as a defensive back, also rushed and passed for touchdowns with the Gamecocks, in addition to returning punts.
“He’s their favorite player, their best player, and they figure out a way to get him the ball,” Rams head coach Jeff Fisher told reporters in L.A. “His statistics — I mean, they’re obvious. You watch him, he’s throwing the ball, his return skills, his run after catch, his ability to get open. He’s a strong player. We just felt like he would give us an additional target inside.”
Rams general manager Les Snead said he envisioned using Cooper in the slot, the position he played most at South Carolina, while Thomas was better suited to line up on the outside. Los Angeles certainly can use the help after finishing last in the NFL in passing offense last season, its final campaign in St. Louis before returning to Southern California.
“I look at it just as an opportunity to get on the field,” Cooper said. “I’m going to go out there, work hard, do my best. Wherever they play me, I’m going to try to excel.”
Cooper, who watched the draft at his parents’ home in Havelock, N.C., will travel to Los Angeles next week for the team’s rookie orientation. The Rams’ mandatory minicamp is June 14-16. And if the former high school quarterback is asked to reprise his role at USC and throw a pass on occasion?
“If they need me to throw the ball, I’ll throw the ball for them,” Cooper said. “Whatever they need me to do, I’ll do it. I’m just happy to be part of the organization. I’m ready to start playing now.”
May 1, 2016 at 8:31 pm #43239
InvaderRamModeratori’m bored and couldn’t think of anything to do. so my attention turned to pharoh cooper.
a lot of people are comparing this guy to guys like tavon austin. but also guys like cobb and harvin. so i decided to look up the stats on each of these guys in college just for fun. it should be noted that cooper, harvin, and cobb all played in the sec although at different times while austin played in the big east. it should also be noted that cooper only played 2 seasons as a wr. his freshman season is listed as a defensive back. the other three played their entire college careers on offense although not necessarily at wr.
i also want to say that cooper is by far the biggest of the 4. he’s got 15 pounds on both harvin and cobb. i’d like to see him used more in the running game than he was in college. and it seemed that whenever he did run, it was in the wildcat formation. wondering what he would look like if he was used more like austin on sweeps and as a running back. i mean he’s 208 pounds. he’s a big guy.
pharoh cooper
5’11” 208 lbs
http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/pharoh-cooper-1.html
138 rec 2163 recyds 15.7 ave 18 tds 71 rus 513 rusyds 7.2 ave 4 tds 209 touches 2676 totalyds 12.8 ave 22 tdsrandall cobb
5’10” 192 lbs
http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/randall-cobb-1.html
144 rec 1661 recyds 11.5 ave 13 tds 228 rus 1313 rusyds 5.8 ave 22 tds 372 touches 2974 totalyds 8.0 ave 35 tdspercy harvin
5’11” 194 lbs
http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/percy-harvin-1.html
133 rec 1929 recyds 14.5 ave 13 tds 194 rus 1852 rusyds 9.5 ave 19 tds 327 touches 3781 totalyds 11.6 ave 32 tdstavon austin
5’8″ 176 lbs
http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/tavon-austin-1.html
288 rec 3413 recyds 11.9 ave 29 tds 110 rus 1033 rusyds 9.4 ave 6 tds 398 touches 4446 total yds 11.2 ave 35 tdshe compares pretty favorably to these guys. his total touches and total yards and total tds lag far behind the other three, but when you take into account that he spent his first year essentially on defense and rarely saw the ball on offense, i think it’s understandable. if you take just his sophomore and junior seasons and extrapolate it over three seasons you get 279 touches 3630 total yards and 30 tds.
also his average yards per touch is higher than any of the other three at 12.8.
i’d like to see cooper used more in the running game than he was in college. they use austin the running game and he is 176 pounds. cooper is actually the size of a lot of running backs at 208 pounds, and i just wonder how effective he could be used in that role.
May 1, 2016 at 9:04 pm #43244InvaderRamModeratoredit: he started his college career as a defensive back but was converted just before his freshman season.
May 1, 2016 at 10:02 pm #43249znModeratorhe compares pretty favorably to these guys.
Good contribution. Interesting. Makes a good point.
May 1, 2016 at 10:47 pm #43250InvaderRamModeratori would also add that in the case of harvin, austin, and to a lesser extent cobb, all three were surrounded by much better players. harvin had tim tebow and aaron hernandez. austin had smith and bailey. cobb had a qb who threw for 3000 yards and 23 tds cobb’s junior season. cooper? his qb threw for less than 1900 yards and 12 tds cooper’s junior season. now when you look at cooper’s sophomore year when he had a better supporting cast. unsurprisingly his numbers were better.
cooper sophomore year.
http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/south-carolina/2014.htmlcooper junior year.
http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/south-carolina/2015.htmlMay 2, 2016 at 11:26 am #43268znModeratorfrom Playmaker Score 2016
Nathan Forster
http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stat-analysis/2016/playmaker-score-2016
,,,
Playmaker Score is based on a statistical analysis of all Division I wide receivers drafted in the years 1996-2013. Playmaker Score consists of the following elements, which are the factors that historically correlate to NFL success:
– The wide receiver prospect’s best or “peak” season for receiving yards per team attempt (i.e., a wide receiver with 1,000 receiving yards whose team passed 400 times would score a “2.50.” )
– The wide receiver prospect’s peak season for receiving touchdowns per team attempt.
– The difference between the prospect’s peak season for receiving touchdowns per team attempt and the prospect’s most recent season for receiving touchdowns per team attempt (this factor is simply “0” for a player whose peak season was his most recent season).
– The wide receiver’s vertical jump from pre-draft workouts.
– A binary variable that rewards players who enter the draft as underclassmen and punishes those who exhaust their college eligibility.
– The wide receiver’s college career yards per reception.
– The wide receiver’s rushing attempts per game during their peak season for receiving yards per team attempt.Playmaker Score has two outputs: “Playmaker Rating” and “Playmaker Projection.” Playmaker Rating is the “purest” output for Playmaker Score: it is expressed as a percentage that measures how highly the player ranks historically based on the factors evaluated by Playmaker Score. For example, a player with a 75 percent Playmaker Rating scores more highly than 75 percent of wide receiver prospects drafted since 1996. Playmaker Projection is a more realistic measurement. Playmaker Projection acknowledges that a player with a first-round grade and a mediocre Playmaker Score is more likely to succeed than a seventh-rounder that Playmaker Score loves. Thus, in addition to the Playmaker Score factors, Playmaker Projection also incorporates a transformed variable based on the player’s projected draft position from NFLDraftScout.com.
…
3. Pharoh Cooper, South Carolina
Playmaker Projection: 493 Yards
Playmaker Rating: 89.5%Historically, wide receivers with a high number of rushing attempts in college tend to also have low yards per reception numbers, because these receivers are likely to be involved in the short passing game as well. Although high numbers of rushing attempts and high yards per reception numbers correlate to NFL success, few wide receivers have both. Pharoh Cooper bucks this trend. Cooper posted an impressive 15.7 yards per catch, even while rushing the football more than 60 times for the Gamecocks in his final season.
…
2016 Playmaker Score Results
Name College Proj. Round Playmaker Projection Playmaker Rating
Corey Coleman Baylor 1 820 99.8%
Will Fuller Notre Dame 1–2 514 94.7%
Pharoh Cooper South Carolina 2 493 89.5%
Tyler Boyd Pittsburgh 2 486 89.9%
Laquon Treadwell Mississippi 1 479 69.5%
Rashard Higgins Colorado State 2–3 476 89.5%
Michael Thomas Ohio State 2 463 80.4%
Josh Doctson TCU 1–2 409 70.8%
Leonte Carroo Rutgers 3 333 74.7%
Sterling Shepard Oklahoma 2–3 328 71.0%
Roger Lewis Bowling Green 4 323 84.0%
Bralon Addison Oregon 3–4 315 78.2%
De’Runnya Wilson Mississippi State 6 266 51.2%
Demarcus Ayers Houston 7–UDFA 263 79.6%
Name College Proj. Round Playmaker Projection Playmaker Rating
Kenny Lawler California 3 252 49.2%
Keyarris Garrett Tulsa 3–4 226 47.5%
Aaron Burbridge Michigan State 3–4 195 24.4%
Cayleb Jones Arizona 7–UDFA 194 56.7%
Malcolm Mitchell Georgia 4 157 26.2%
Michael Thomas Southern Miss. 6 137 58.7%
Ricardo Louis Auburn 7 115 56.0%
Jalin Marshall Ohio State 7–UDFA 115 60.4%
Demarcus Robinson Florida 5–6 112 62.4%
Tajae Sharpe Massachusetts 4–5 109 14.3%
Kolby Listenbee TCU 3–4 106 18.7%
Hunter Sharp Utah State UDFA 84 32.3%
Jordan Payton UCLA 3 81 13.6%
Chris Moore Cincinnati UDFA 67 37.8%
Name College Proj. Round Playmaker Projection Playmaker Rating
Devon Cajuste Stanford 7–UDFA 46 25.7%
Byron Marshall Oregon UDFA 29 23.7%
Charone Peake Clemson 4–5 24 3.3%
Marquez North Tennessee UDFA 21 25.3%
Chris Brown Notre Dame 7 21 7.7%
Nelson Spruce Colorado 7–UDFA 14 13.4%
Alonzo Russell Toledo 7–UDFA 12 10.5%
Geronimo Allison Illinois 6 6 3.7%
Mekale McKay Cincinnati UDFA 0 15.2%
D’haquille Williams Auburn UDFA 0 5.7%
Trevor Davis California UDFA 0 9.2%
Johnny Holton Cincinnati UDFA 0 5.1%
Cody Core Mississippi 5 0 4.6%
Rashawn Scott Miami (FL) UDFA 0 3.7%==
Do-it-all Pharoh Cooper looking for more defined role
Marcas Grant
Leading up to the 2016 NFL Draft, each day NFL Fantasy will profile a prospect (or two) who could make a splash in fantasy next season. Today’s subject is former South Carolina wide receiver Pharoh Cooper.
It might be a cliché, but the more you can do on a football field can usually increase your chances to be a contributor on an NFL roster. That should bode well for the prospects of Pharoh Cooper. South Carolina’s top offensive weapon in 2015 was a Swiss Army Knife option on a Gamecocks team that suffered plenty of upheaval — not the least of which was its coach resigning midseason. But will Cooper’s jack-of-all-trades skillset make him a fantasy master in 2016? I looked into the tape the find out.
Strengths
» Versatile; played a number of roles in the offense
» Releases quickly from line of scrimmage; gets to top speed quickly
» Reliable handsCooper did a little bit of everything during his time at South Carolina. He was the team’s leading receiver (posting a statline of 135-2,109-17 over his final two seasons); he also lined up as the wildcat quarterback, rushing 71 times for 513 yards and four scores in his three seasons in Columbia. If that wasn’t enough, Cooper completed 9-of-16 passes for 118 yards and four touchdowns and even returned punts. Not bad for a guy who was a cornerback when he first stepped foot on campus.
That level of versatility held him in good stead in the Gamecock program and he finished the 2015 campaign as the team’s leader in scrimmage yards (1,084) and total touchdowns (nine). But he truly made his name as a receiver. Cooper lined up all over the field and was the primary target for the litany of signal-callers who took the field last season. Part of it was Cooper’s ability to explode off the line of scrimmage and force defenders to commit early. The other part was Cooper’s consistent ability to catch most anything in his atmosphere.
Weaknesses
» Needs more work as a route-runner
» Struggles to make contested catches
» Lacks agility to make tacklers miss after the catchSometimes the problem with doing a little bit of everything is that you never really get good at one thing. For all of Cooper’s positive attributes, he still lacks some polish as a wide receiver. He has a tendency to round off his underneath routes and often struggles to find space to get open in the middle of the field. These are issues that can be improved, but they are likely to limit his wide receiver snaps early in his career.
The other issue that might hurt is that Cooper struggles to make catches in traffic. Anytime Cooper was forced to battle with a defender to come up with a football, there was a better than even chance that he wasn’t going to win the battle. That will be crucial at the next level where it will be harder to gain separation from defenders. Something that might be harder to overcome is Cooper’s general lack of wiggle. Once the ball is in his hands, he doesn’t often make tacklers miss in the open field. Instead he relies on his (not inconsiderable) straight line speed to try and outrun them.
Ideal fantasy fits
» Buffalo Bills
» New England Patriots
» Los Angeles RamsWith Chris Hogan apparently on his way to New England, the Bills could use another crafty receiver to work in the slot when they go with three or more receivers. Cooper could also be an intriguing piece if the Bills want to run wildcat sets with Tyrod Taylor and LeSean McCoy. Even though the Patriots are adding a receiver in free agency, we’ve seen what Bill Belichick can do with players that have myriad skills. You might not be able to project Cooper’s role in New England, but it’s certain that the Patriots would make it work. Going to the Rams would give all of us the sadz, but this just feels like the kind of player that Jeff Fisher stockpiles only to have him waste away on the roster for four seasons.
Early fantasy draft projection
Make no mistake, Cooper’s football IQ and willingness to do whatever is asked of him will endear him to plenty of NFL personnel types. His lack of standout ability in any one area means he’ll probably wait to hear his name called during the NFL Draft. It also means that he’ll have a cloudy fantasy future as well. In redraft leagues, it’s hard to envision Cooper getting a lot of attention from fantasy managers. In the right offensive system, he could have some late dynasty appeal, but it could take a few seasons before you see any real dividends.
May 2, 2016 at 8:07 pm #43301znModeratorKiper: Cooper a ‘steal’ in fourth round
Willie T. Smith III
COLUMBIA – Many were surprised South Carolina wide receiver Pharoh Cooper lasted until the fourth round before getting selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the 2016 NFL draft.
Count ESPN draft analysts Mel Kiper and Todd McShay among that group.
“I’m surprised he lasted until the fourth round,” said Kiper during a Monday afternoon conference call. “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 – he’ll go get the football down the field. He’ll do everything you want. He’ll battle into double coverage for the football.”
It appears the biggest reason Cooper, a two-time All-Southeastern Conference selection, is his lack of blazing speed. He ran 40-yard dash times of 4.61 and 4.69 at USC’s Pro Day.
“I like the quickness,” said McShay. “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. 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.”
Cooper is probably slated to play in the slot, a position he consistently lined up in for USC. That will also test his toughness.
“I think he’s got a chance to contribute,” said McShay. “I like him as a slot receiver, a guy who will do the dirty work across the middle of the field.”
Kiper believes Cooper has the ability to do whatever is necessary to make a positive contribution.
“I don’t know what he’s lacking,” said Kiper. “I understand the measurable aren’t that favorable. But, to get him in the fourth round for (Rams first round pick, quarterback) Jared Goff and also get (tight end) Tyler Higbee and (wide receiver) Michael Thomas. They did a nice job bringing in some pass catching options.
“But I think Cooper will be a steal in the fourth round. There were some player I didn’t even think were even close to him, in terms of grade and ability that went higher.”
May 11, 2016 at 11:54 am #43871InvaderRamModeratorMay 12, 2016 at 10:05 am #43936znModeratorReceiver, runner, returner, passer: Pharoh Cooper adds more versatility to Rams offense
Nick Wagoner
LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Rams coach Jeff Fisher speaks of newly drafted multipurpose receiver Pharoh Cooper in similar terms as he used for Tavon Austin back in 2013.
“We’ve been watching ‘Coop’ seems like for a couple years now, and he is (South Carolina’s) favorite player, their best player,” Fisher said. “They figure out a way to give him the ball. The statistics are obvious. You watch him and he is throwing the ball, his return skills, his run after catch, his ability to get open. He is a strong player. We felt like he would give us an additional target inside to uncover and do those kinds of things.”
Buzz words such as versatility are at the top of the list of words thrown toward Cooper after a college career at South Carolina in which he did a little bit of everything. But if the Rams already have a smallish receiver capable of lining up all over offensive formations in Austin, where does that leave Cooper?
“I mean, if we were to both come in the starting lineup, that’d be great,” Cooper said. I’m not going to go in there and say I should be starting right away. I am going to have to prove to the coaches that I’m worthy and that I’m going to work hard. That’s the main thing I’m going to do — I’m going to work hard. If we are both on the field at the same time, it could be dangerous.”
Don’t scoff at the idea that Cooper and Austin could be on the field at the same time on a fairly consistent basis as Austin’s role has evolved in his three seasons with the Rams.
When the Rams drafted Austin, he was viewed as more of a slot receiver and that’s where he spent the bulk of his time as a rookie. But Austin has run fewer routes from the slot in each of his seasons. He ran 236 routes with 54 targets and 30 catches inside as a rookie. In 2014, those numbers dipped to 174 routes, 22 targets and 14 catches.
Last year, the Rams began using Austin more outside, where they could get him moving before the snap and hand him the ball on jet sweeps and reverses. He ran just 88 routes from the slot with 17 targets and 11 catches inside.
In fact, the Rams got minimal production from all of their receivers in the slot in 2015. Austin, Wes Welker, Stedman Bailey, Bradley Marquez and Brian Quick combined for 69 targets from the slot in 2015 and finished with 38 catches for 330 yards (8.7 yards per catch) and one touchdown.
Cooper, who primarily worked from the slot for the Gamecocks, averaged 8.2 yards after the catch per reception alone in his college career. According to ESPN Stats & Information, he averaged 8 yards after the catch per reception in 2015.
That ability to get open, catch the ball and get extra yards comes from Cooper’s former life as a quarterback.
“That’s just my mark,” Cooper said. “Catch the ball, make yards, that didn’t really come from anywhere. I played quarterback in high school, so I got hit a lot. So getting tackled and running through holes, and getting extra yards and fighting for extra yards — that is just what I love to do. That’s just the biggest part of my game.”
Cooper, who got his unique first name from his father drawing inspiration from Egyptian royalty, earned first-team All-SEC honors each of the past two seasons. He had 69 catches for 1,136 yards and nine touchdowns as a sophomore and 66 receptions for 973 yards and eight scores as a junior last year.
In addition to his slot duties, Cooper also lined up as the Wildcat quarterback often during his time at South Carolina. He rushed for 513 yards and four touchdowns in his three collegiate seasons and completed nine of 16 passes for 118 yards and four touchdowns. He also returned punts and kickoffs.
“(I can) play anywhere on the field,” Cooper said. “Punt return, kick return, you can line me up in the backfield, slot, the outside.”
Even quarterback?
“Yes, sir,” Cooper said. “If they need me to throw the ball, I’ll throw the ball for them. Whatever they need me to do, I’ll do it. I’m just happy to be a part of the organization. I’m ready to start playing now.”
Assuming Cooper is able to quickly grasp the Rams offense and the NFL route tree, it’s not out of the question that he’ll be asked to contribute right away. In terms of slot receivers, the Rams have not re-signed Welker and Bailey’s status remains uncertain after he suffered two gun shots to the head last November. Marquez returns and figures to be the most likely competition for work inside.
If that means sharing time with another smaller wideout capable of doing it all, that’s fine by Cooper.
“I look at it as just an opportunity to get on the field,” Cooper said. “Go out there, work hard and do my best. Wherever they play me, that is where I’m going to try to excel and do my best to excel. You know the receivers … I’m happy to go in there and work with Tavon. I followed his career when he was at West Virginia and I’m excited to line up (with him) while I’m on the field.”
May 12, 2016 at 10:29 am #43939
AgamemnonParticipantHow best to help the QB? The Rams don’t have a slot WR. Cooper fits that. The don’t have a pass catching TE. They drafted two. Then they got value at a position of need, Forest. The same with Thomas. Then they used the pile method. Bring in a bunch of players at a position/s of need, WR, LB, DB, and hope you find a player.
AgamemnonMay 12, 2016 at 12:12 pm #43944InvaderRamModeratorcoop and higbee. let’s hope. rookie qb, rookie slot receiver, rookie pass catching tight end.
yikes!
May 13, 2016 at 1:46 am #43982znModeratorCooper Likely a Solid Slot Option for L.A. Offense
Myles Simmons
The Rams’ blockbuster trade up to No. 1 overall in the 2016 NFL Draft left them with four remaining picks — two in the fourth round, and two in the sixth. But on Day 3, Los Angeles swapped fourth-round picks with Chicago, moving down to No. 117 to gain an extra sixth-round selection.
With the club’s second pick of the day, the Rams continued to add pieces to their passing offense by selecting wide receiver Pharoh Cooper.
According to head coach Jeff Fisher, the Rams have had their eye on the wideout for a couple years. They noticed how Cooper was one of the catalysts for former South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier’s offense.
“He was running the football, he was catching balls, and returning,” Fisher said. “He’s just somebody you need to get the football to.”
“We felt like he would be a really good prospect for a slot receiver where he could get in there and uncover and get open because he’s strong, he’s powerful,” Fisher continued. “He’s got really good ball skills.”
Cooper also saw his share of time as a returner — both punt and kick — and even had a few trick plays as a QB in college.
“Every time I get on the field, I’m on the field to make plays, help my team get in situations where I can score touchdowns and win games no matter where I’m at,” Cooper said during last week’s rookie orientation. “Just [making] plays — that’s kind of how I stand out from the rest.”
Because of Cooper’s versatility and physical style, general manager Les Snead admitted rookie camp likely isn’t the best place for him to show off his skill set.
“Right now, I would say, this is the worst time of year for Pharoh. It’s helmet and shorts,” Snead said. “But when you put shoulder pads on and full pads, and he catches a football, then the fun starts.”
Still, Cooper said he enjoyed just getting on a football field again after the long draft process. It’s a common refrain from rookies both on the Rams and across the league.
“Like I said early in the draft process — the Combine process — I’m not a Combine guy. I’m not a Combine freak. I’m a football player,” Cooper said. “So just to step on that field again, and put some cleats on, and a helmet on, start learning plays, running routes — it felt great to actually be out there and catch the football.”
As the young wideout goes through learning the playbook, he may have a slight edge. Cooper was a quarterback in high school, and knowledge from that time aided in his transition to receiver.
“Just knowing where everybody is going to be,” Cooper said. “Cover 2, you know where the safeties are going to be. Cover 3, you know where the safeties and the corners are going to be at. So switching from quarterback to receiver was, pretty much, an easy transition.”
Cooper won’t be alone in studying up on the plays. His new teammate, wide receiver Tavon Austin, had already reached out to lend his support before the two even met in person.
“We actually were on FaceTime,” Cooper said. “He was asking me about the film, asking me what was going on, what plays we were running — little things like that. We didn’t really talk about other stuff. We were just talking football last night.”
On his conference call just after being drafted, Cooper said he had long admired Austin’s career. Now that the two are teammates, Cooper’s relishing the chance to be on the same field at the same time.
“He’s always making plays,” Cooper said. “He’s just so fast and quick. He always makes somebody miss. I just love watching him play.”
As the Rams offseason program continues, Cooper’s looking forward to making strong early impressions not only for the coaches, but also his teammates.
“Just for them to know that I’m a hard worker and that I’m going to compete every day — every day of the week when we have practice,” he said. “I’m going to study the playbook so I’m not on the field looking clueless when the play comes up. I’m not focused on trying to get a starting spot right now. I’m just focused on working hard, trying to get all the formations and plays so that when I get on the field, I know what to do.”
If he’s successful in those endeavors, Snead had a fairly lofty comparison Cooper may live up to.
“There’s a lot of comparisons on him, but I always say he reminds me of a long time ago, a long-time player named Hines Ward coming out of Georgia,” Snead said.
If Cooper becomes that kind of player, the Rams should have a high-quality receiver for years to come.
May 13, 2016 at 11:18 am #43990canadaramParticipantYou’re doing good work, CR. Adding stuff to the mix. Thanks.
Just saw this now. Thanks and you’re welcome.
I love the draft and all the hope that goes with it, even if that hope often goes unrewarded. Reading and sharing information about drafted prospects is something that I always look forward to. I’m just glad to have a place like this where it can happen.
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This reply was modified 8 years, 7 months ago by canadaram.
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