Raiders quarterback Derek Carr says rookie wide receiver Amari Cooper is even better than advertised.
Carr said on 95.7 The Game that Cooper, whom the Raiders drafted out of Alabama with the fourth overall pick, has looked even better than expected through two months of offseason work.
“He is ridiculous in and out of his breaks,” said Carr. “His style of play is perfect for this league. He’s good at getting on toes and creating separation. He’s good at when the ball is in his hands making those fast-twitch movements to make a guy go one way so he can take it to the house. It’s just little things that honestly people don’t even notice.”
Although Carr and Cooper have only been teammates since late April, they’ve already spent a lot of time working together. Carr said he and Cooper are developing a rapport through extra work beyond the team’s minicamp and Organized Team Activities.
“His work ethic is second to none,” Carr said. “I was throwing with him as soon as mini-camp was over so we can get more reps in, and our plan was to throw a couple more times, but he texted me that night. He said, ‘hey, let’s throw at least three more times. I need to get this one route right.’ Just him telling me that kind of stuff, it blew my mind.”
In Carr and Cooper, the Raiders may have a couple of big pieces in place, for years to come.