Colin Cowherd Urges Raiders to Draft Fernando Mendoza's Indiana Teammate
There is zero drama associated with what the Las Vegas Raiders will do with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on April 23.
The Raiders are universally expected to select former Indiana Hoosiers quarterback and reigning Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza.
FS1 host Colin Cowherd is more interested in what the Raiders should do with their second-round pick at No. 36 overall.
“I’m fascinated to see if the Raiders trade up to get Omar Cooper [Jr.] at the top of the second, or does he fall to them?” Cowherd said on his “The Colin Cowherd Podcast” on Sunday. “If I was the Raiders, and I could get Omar Cooper, the Hoosier wide receiver [and] favorite target of Fernando Mendoza, that would be my pick.”
Cowherd added, “My take is, I would just go quarterback, receiver, tackle, then if you have defensive needs, go for it. Just make sure you get the quarterback right.”
It would be somewhat surprising if Cooper Jr. fell to the second round, given how he’s been evaluated by several draft analysts. ESPN’s Aaron Schatz compared him to Minnesota Vikings All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson, considered the NFL‘s best receiver.
The Athletic’s Ted Nguyen ranked Cooper Jr. as the third-best slot receiver behind Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion and USC’s Makai Lemon.
“He can make an impact in a Deebo Samuel (manufactured underneath targets) way immediately, but has the potential to become something more if he continues to improve as a route runner and can beat man coverage,” Nguyen wrote.
ESPN’s Field Yates projects Cooper Jr. to go off the board to the New York Jets at No. 16 overall. ESPN’s Peter Schrager and The Ringer’s Todd McShay agree.
Longtime NFL draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah ranks Cooper Jr. as the 18th-best overall prospect in this draft class and noted he “fits the exact model of wideouts finding immediate success in the NFL.”
In the universe where the Raiders are able to draft Cooper Jr., he would have an open runway to succeed as a rookie.
Ahead of the draft, Las Vegas’ wide receiver room is not a strong suit. The Raiders made a plus-move by signing former Vikings WR Jalen Nailor in free agency, but beyond that, 23-year-old All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers is the only proven target in the offense.
Cooper Jr. spent all four years at Indiana. In 2024, he led the Big Ten with 21.2 yards per reception, but he didn’t fully realize his potential until Mendoza took over as QB1 in 2025.
Last season, Cooper Jr. posted a career-high 937 yards and 13 touchdowns on 69 receptions as the Hoosiers went undefeated and won their first national championship in program history.
Cooper Jr. singlehandedly saved the Hoosiers’ undefeated season when he skied to snag a Mendoza pass and tapped his toe to secure the game-winning touchdown with 36 seconds left at Penn State. Raiders fans could get used to watching that for the next decade.
2026 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
This story was originally published April 13, 2026 at 12:27 AM.