Alabama star wide receiver Amari Cooper is planning to forgo his college eligibility and leave the Crimson Tide for the 2015 NFL draft, ESPN reports.
Cooper set SEC records with 124 receptions for 1,727 yards and 16 touchdowns this season.
Cooper is the No. 4 overall prospect in this year's draft class, according to ESPN's Scouts Inc. Draft expert Mel Kiper has Cooper ranked third overall on his Big Board.
"There's nothing Cooper doesn't do really well, and he's probably more explosive than he looks because his movement is so precise," Kiper wrote. "He separates with ease, has a good sense of how to find space against a zone and will make contested catches. His work rate is legendary and will be a big selling point."
Fellow ESPN draft expert Todd McShay projects Cooper to be selected sixth overall by the New York Jets in his Mock Draft 1.0.
"In this scenario, [Marcus] Mariota and [Jameis] Winston are already off the board," McShay wrote. "The Jets are desperate enough to find a franchise quarterback that they could trade up a few spots to draft either player if they fell in love with one, but if they're stuck at this spot, I think they should take the best player available in Cooper.
"They need O-line help, but the top-rated prospect on my board, Brandon Scherff from Iowa, is best-suited to play guard at the next level. He'll be a great one for a long time, but the No. 6 overall pick is a steep price to pay for a great guard. Percy Harvin provides no guarantees, and Cooper would be an upgrade over Eric Decker, who is really best-suited to be a No. 3 WR. He'd provde a great target for whenever the Jets find their guy at QB."
Cooper is 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds. He projects as a dominant offensive weapon for whichever team selects him.
