The 2015 NFL Draft is sure to bring some fireworks, and if San Francisco 49ers GM Trent Baalke has his way, the Niners will be right in the thick of things come late April.
Baalke, new head coach Jim Tomsula and the rest of the San Francisco brass, set to pick at No. 15 in the first-round, have reportedly set their sights on Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper and are exploring trade up options for the savvy receiver, currently projected to go somewhere within the top-10.
"The Niners, and specifically general manager Trent Baalke, have fallen in love with the polished veteran coming out of Alabama," reports Bleacher Report NFL Draft Analyst Matt Miller. "...Now, the Niners are at fifteen, but Trent Baalke does a terrific job manipulating the board, they always have extra picks from trades and I'm told the Niners have already started asking around to find out where Cooper is expected to come off the board and if they can trade up to get him."
Losing Michael Crabtree hurt in the sense that he was a talented player, so the Niners receiver room, even with the addition of the speedy Torrey Smith in free agency and the presence of the gritty, physical Anquan Boldin, is certainly thinner than it was before, but Crabtree failed to live up to his first-round billing and never played anywhere near his full potential.
Miller believes Cooper would prove a more than capable upgrade over Crabtree and another strong receiving option for quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
"He would be an instant starter for them, a guy who could really help Colin Kaepernick with those underneath to intermediate routes. You give him a true yards after catch receiver, something they've not had with Baalke as general manager," said Miller.
Cooper, 6-foot, 211-pounds, finished his junior season with the Crimson Tide with 124 receptions, 1,727 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Acquiring the opportunity to obatin him in the 2015 NFL Draft may mean a move up in the vicinity of pick No. 6, per Miller.
"Now, I think they have to get up to pick No. 6 if he makes it past the Raiders at four, because the Chicago Bears at seven would love to have Cooper next to Alshon Jeffrey. So the Niners, you should be calling Washington and the New York Jets to try and get up to pick five or six if they want Cooper to be a reality for them next year."
With future Hall of Famer Frank Gore gone, the Niners seem to be making a move toward younger, more dynamic playmakers like Smith and Carlos Hyde on offense.
Perhaps Cooper will be the next addition to Baalke and Tomsula's stable of talented weapons.
