Oakland Raiders wide receiver Amari Cooper is the highest-rated NFL rookie in the latest installment of John Madden's beloved football video game franchise, Madden 16.
While Cooper's projected overall rating of 86 wound up being a little high compared to his actual rating of 82, he still managed to land at the top of the incoming rookie class - a class which includes Jameis Winston, Todd Gurley, Leonard Williams and Brandon Scherff. Winston wound up second-best to Cooper with an 81 designation and Gurley, Williams and Scherff each garnered 80's.
Despite already being viewed as one of the best players in the league at his position - by most NFL media pundits as well as by the makers of the Madden franchise - Cooper promised that his current rating will only go up the longer he's in the league.
"That'll go up," Cooper said with a smile, per Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com.
Of course, considering Cooper is entering the league at a time when high-flying passing offenses are no longer the exception, they're the rule, and joining a Raiders franchise at a time when new head coach Jack Del Rio is looking to build an elite offensive group around young quarterback Derek Carr, Cooper and a bevy of other recent additions like Clive Walford, Michael Crabtree and Rodney Hudson, it seems like he sure is set up for success and would be hard pressed not to improve his standing, both in the real and virtual worlds.
Cooper, just 21, is viewed as a polished, pro-ready wideout with explosive ability and a knack for big plays. He's already considered "the real deal" by members of the Raiders coaching staff and should, if all goes to plan, combine with Carr to form a dynamic offensive duo the likes of which Raider Nation hasn't seen in some time.
