Raider’s debut: Sports
Top pick Amari Cooper at rookie minicamp.
There were no surprises for Amari Cooper on the first day of rookie minicamp Friday.
“It went like I thought it would go,” the Raiders’ first- round pick said. “I made a couple of plays.”
That he did, as he and big tight end Clive Walford, Oakland’s third- round pick, stood out as they are supposed to in a field of 10 draft picks, 14 undrafted free agents and two dozen nameless players.
“He was fine,” Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio said, after asking if he had to give daily updates on Cooper. “He is going to be a good player.”
Fans, who haven’t had a 1,000- yard receiver in 10 years, and former players are screaming from the rooftops about Cooper.
Former Raiders receiver Fred Biletnikoff, who led the team in receiving from 1968 through ’ 73, said “it’s unbelievable” that Oakland added not only Cooper but also former 49ers receiver Michael Crabtree. That’s two Biletnikoff Award winners — given to the top receiver in college football.
“The quarterback is in a great spot now where he knows when the ball leaves his hand that the receiver is going to catch the ball,” Biletnikoff said in a phone interview. “It’s a great confidence booster. Derek ( Carr) doesn’t have to be right on target, just get the ball around them.”
Cooper was ready to go Friday after signing his four- year, $ 22.7 million contract — with a $ 14.7 million signing bonus — Thursday.
He was first in line for every drill, and drew some aahs when he beat seventh-
round pick Dexter McDonald deep and hauled in a pass from former Nevada quarterback Cody Fajardo.
“The word everybody uses, and they’re right, is polished,” Biletnikoff said. “He knows exactly what he has to do every route against every coverage. He has good size, is fast, has a lot of experience, lining up everywhere, and he has a lot of heart.”
Cooper invariably was open with Alabama and he was pleasantly surprised that the initial installation of Oakland’s offense “was kind of similar to the Alabama playbook,” he said. Former Raiders head coach and Crimson Tide offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin used a lot of nohuddle and moved Cooper a lot to get him in open space.
Cooper wasn’t the only receiver on the field Friday hoping to draw on his experience.
Josh Harper was an undrafted signee who just happened to catch 79 passes for 1,011 yards and 13 touchdowns from one Derek Carr at Fresno State in 2013.
Del Rio said the Raiders didn’t talk to Carr about Harper before they signed him.
“He has some return ability, and he understands how to get separation,” Del Rio said.
Harper, who actually hasn’t returned kicks since high school, knows he has a leg up on the other hopefuls who signed with the Raiders this week.
“I’ve talked to Derek every day about what I should do here and what I should do there,” Harper said.
Besides Carr, Harper has another connection: His sister, Qiava, is the vice president of premium seating and services for the Raiders.