The Oakland Raiders have a lot to be hopeful about heading into 2015.
New head coach Jack Del Rio is intent on instilling a new culture in the franchise, defensive building block Khalil Mack has his sights set on a whole bunch of quarterback sacks in NFL Year Two after packing on 10 to 15 pounds of muscle in the offseason and recent first-round pick, wide receiver Amari Cooper, along with several other members of Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie's 2015 draft class, seems likely to make a significant impact in his rookie year.
"I've never seen a guy in this day and age where rookies usually take two to three years to develop, come in with the composure he has, on and off the field. I like the fact that he can run routes on the outside and also on the inside," former NFL receiver and current NFL Network analyst Nate Burleson said of Cooper, who he deems a "great talent."
Cooper entered the pre-2015 NFL Draft process as the most polished and NFL-ready receiver the league has seen in some time. He posted 124 receptions for 1,727 yards and 16 touchdowns in a junior season at Alabama that culminated in a Biletnikoff Award and a unanimous first-team All-American selection.
Still, according to Burleson, a man uniquely qualified to comment on what it takes for a young receiver to make their way in the league, at least a portion of Cooper's development is out of his own hands.
"But off that I have to say it's contingent on Derek Carr and his growth next year. Is he going to plateau, is he going to keep trending upward?"
Carr, 24, provided ample reason for hope last year - he completed 348 passes for 3,270 yards, 21 touchdowns and 12 interceptions - but the trick, as it always is, is proving capable of doing that same thing the second time around, after the rest of the league has tape of your tendencies and comes into a game with a plan of how to stop you.
Fortunately for Raiders fans, that may not be a problem for a guy like Carr who didn't seem overwhelmed by the defenses he was facing last year.
"Sometimes, the games were really slow for me," Carr said in Feb., per ESPN. "It was almost like I was waiting for it to speed up."
Of course, the offensive game plan employed by coordinator Bill Musgrave is sure to have a big impact on both Carr and Cooper in 2015 as well.
From the sounds of things, Musgrave is likely looking to install a no-huddle attack - something Carr helmed to great success in college.
"My last two years at Fresno State were 100 percent no-huddle, and I love it. I'm very comfortable in it," Carr said. "They are building this offense around me, and I'm really excited about it. I lit up when they told me."
While Cooper doesn't have much experience with the no-huddle having spent his collegiate career in the notoriously pro-style Crimson Tide offense, there's no doubt he can assimilate into an offense meant to score points and move the ball against the defense at will.
"I would say about 75 percent of his physical talent will determine his success next year, 25 percent will be the coaches calling the right plays, giving him targets and also his quarterback growing up in the system," said Burleson.
