The Philadelphia Eagles have been very busy once again this offseason, and that seems set to continue into the 2026 NFL Draft. With the team appearing set to trade star wide receiver A.J. Brown at some point in the next few months, the Eagles are expected to look to add another player at this position in the draft.
Philly could conceivably use its first-round pick (the No. 23 overall selection) on a wide receiver, with Indiana Hoosiers star Omar Cooper Jr. being floated as a potential option. Cooper has been linked to the Eagles frequently throughout the pre-draft process, and it sounds like he is open to potentially replacing Brown in the team’s offense.
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In four years with Indiana, Cooper gradually turned himself into one of the most explosive offensive playmakers in the nation. In 2025, he helped the Hoosiers win a National Championship by emerging as quarterback Fernando Mendoza’s top target in the passing game, as he finished the year with 69 receptions for 937 yards and 14 total touchdowns.
Cooper is viewed as a late first-round/early second-round pick, and Philadelphia has done its homework on him ahead of that draft. With a new report emerging earlier this week that indicates the Eagles are planning on trading Brown later on this offseason, that could incentivize the front office to select a wide receiver in the first round of the draft.
Philly will be picking right around the time Cooper is expected to come off the board, and he makes sense as a logical target for the team. Should Cooper wind up with the Eagles, he would likely play a role in replacing Brown if he eventually gets traded, and while that’s a tall task, it sounds like a challenge that Cooper is up for taking on.
“Just with the history between the past three to four years, it’d be an amazing opportunity,” Cooper said on “The Exhibit.” “Really great team. It’d be a big role to fill, especially with A.J. Brown, really great player … That would be something I’d be looking forward to.”
Should the Eagles Draft Omar Cooper Jr.?
GettyNFL draft analysts predict Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. to be a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Even though Brown had a down year by his standards in 2025 (78 REC, 1,003 YDS, 7 TD), he was still one of the most productive pass catchers in the league last season. Having DeVonta Smith certainly would help soften the blow of losing Brown, but the Eagles are going to need guys to step up in order to ensure that, if he does get traded, the team won’t suffer as a result of his departure.
Philadelphia has already signed Marquise Brown and Elijah Moore in free agency at this position, while also swinging a trade with the Green Bay Packers for Dontayvion Wicks. General manager Howie Roseman and company may feel they have already properly addressed this position, but if they don’t, Cooper could be a sensible fit for the team when it’s on the clock in the first round.
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