While trade and free agency deals have already been made during the NFL offseason, a lingering one is the possible A.J. Brown trade from the Philadelphia Eagles to the New England Patriots.
The Patriots almost seem contingent on this trade going through, but if it doesn’t, they’re best to beef up their wide receiver room, and they’ll be able to do that in the 2026 NFL draft. The event, which is entering its 91st year, is set for April 23 through 25 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, so it’s just weeks away.
In a Friday, April 3 piece, Jacob Camenker of USA Today gives his draft day picks, and he has strong advice for the Patriots.
Camenker says the Patriots should use their No. 31 pick on wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. out of the championship-winning Indiana.
“The Patriots could eventually trade for A.J. Brown, but doing so wouldn’t necessarily preclude them from taking a receiver at 31,” he says in the piece. “New England released its lone 1,000-yard receiver from 2025, Stefon Diggs, and his replacement, Romeo Doubs, is probably better cast as a No. 2 receiver. Cooper is a compact, elusive receiver who forced a whopping 27 missed tackles in 2025.”
Camenker adds, “He has a little Deebo Samuel to his game and would instantly be a versatile weapon with whom Drake Maye can grow.”
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Cooper’s official NFL draft profile says of the wide receiver that he’s a “strong target whose two-year rise is bolstered by translatable tape. While he was a full-time slot receiver in 2025, Cooper has played outside, as well. He can stem and drive past press with his strength. He has potent early acceleration to climb past nickelbacks into top position to challenge deep.”
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His profile adds that even though “his routes lack polish and he has average in-and-out quickness at break-points,” on the bright side, “He’s rugged rugged once the ball is in his hands. His ability to add yards after contact could earn Cooper more carries than we saw from him at Indiana.”
So, there’s certainly potential with Cooper, and the New England Patriots will need the wide receiver help if they want to get back to the big game and close it out this time.
