It's no secret the San Francisco 49ers are eyeing adding wide receiver help this offseason. That could very well include drafting a wide receiver, or several, during the 2026 NFL Draft in April.
One name the Niners have already been connected to is Omar Cooper Jr. out of the University of Indiana. Some mock drafts have the Niners taking him in the first round, and his recent comments at the NFL Combine have to be music to head coach Kyle Shanahan's ears.
In speaking to the media, Cooper was asked about how he's drawn comparisons to Deebo Samuel and said he considers it an honor to be likened to someone like Deebo. In another answer, the prospect talked about how he is more than willing to block a linebacker if needed to support the run game:
He also likes to run-block … pic.twitter.com/VFlmj4BypL
— Vic Tafur (@VicTafur) February 27, 2026
Matt Barrows of The Athletic summed it up best as he wrote on social media in response to Cooper's answers: "Quick — get Kyle Shanahan a cold compress and a hand fan! I think he’s overheating!"
Everyone knows how much Shanahan wants from his wide receivers. Not only is he hard on them when it comes to route running and motions, but the coach demands that receivers block and support their teammates. Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings were both great at that in his offense, but it seems quite likely that both of those players are going to be headed elsewhere this offseason.
Cooper seems like he could be an ideal replacement. He put up some solid stats in his final year at Indiana as he caught 69 passes for 937 yards and had 13 touchdowns. He is similar in size to Samuel as he is 6-foot, just like the former Niners wideout, so maybe Shanahan could use him in a similar fashion to Samuel as a sort of Swiss Army knife who can play anywhere on the field.
Barrows noted that Cooper had over 500 yards after catch in his final year with Indiana, and that is a facet of the offense that the 49ers were missing last season. Probably the peak of the offense was in 2022 and 2023 when San Francisco was leading the lead in YAC, and there were no concerns about speed or versatility on offense.
Drafting Cooper could help get the 49ers back to that style of play. He is saying all the things that Shanahan wants to hear at the combine, so it would not come as a shock if the Niners end up drafting him.