The New York Jets already went into the 2026 NFL Draft with two first-round picks that they used to take Texas Tech EDGE David Bailey and Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq with the second and 16th overall selections, respectively. After those picks, New York was expected to resume their draft in the second round, but they got aggressive to take a player that could help their offense next season.
With the 30th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday, the Jets selected Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr., thanks to a deal that New York pulled off with the San Francisco 49ers. Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Jets acquired the 30th overall pick from the 49ers in exchange for the 33rd (second round) and 179th (fifth round) overall picks.
Despite the Jets already addressing their passing game with the selection of Sadiq, New York decided that they needed to add more weapons around quarterback Geno Smith and that’s where Cooper comes into play. After spending this past season catching passes from No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza, Cooper will try to break some of his game-changing ability to a New York team that struggled to create much of anything on the offensive side of the ball.
“Cooper lines up primarily in the slot but also has experience flexed out wide. He can be explosive, with a good initial burst and acceleration off the line of scrimmage,” Scouts Inc. wrote as part of their scouting report on Cooper. Cooper finished his junior season with 69 catches for 937 yards (13.6 yards per reception) and 13 touchdowns for the Hoosiers.
“We don’t know who the Jets’ quarterback will be after the 2026 season, but we know they’ll have a talented group of pass-catchers with which to work. Cooper is a fantastic running mate for Garrett Wilson with his middle-of-the-field brilliance and his ability to make plays after the catch,” Matt Miller wrote for ESPN. No matter who the quarterback is, the Jets will have another player capable of making plays in the open floor in Cooper.
This article originally appeared on Jets Wire: Jets trade up to 30th for Indiana WR Omar Cooper Jr. in 2026 NFL Draft
Reporting by Sharif Phillips-Keaton, Jets Wire / Jets Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
