South Carolina wide receiver Pharoh Cooper came into college wanting to play defensive back for Coach Steve Spurrier, before switching to offense during preseason practice of his freshman year. Now at the NFL Combine, Cooper views his variety of roles in the Gamecock offense as a strength, giving him an advantage as he heads towards playing on Sundays.
The North Carolina native said he "played four different positions on the field, in college," and that he believes "that's going to help me at the next level, being able to move around from the inside slot to the outside, go in the backfield and play Wildcat if I have to."
Cooper really did it all during his final two seasons in the garnet and black. Last season, the standout receiver totaled eight receiving touchdowns in addition to running in a score and throwing for one as well, all while playing with three different quarterbacks in an offense that ranked 12th in the SEC in yardage. In 2014, Cooper totaled 1,336 yards from scrimmage while catching nine touchdowns, running for two and throwing for a pair.
At 5-foot-11, Cooper is two inches shorter than the average receiver at this year's combine, which has scouts contemplating his ability to play in the slot. Cooper is confident he can play inside, saying, "being that I'm 200-plus (pounds), I'm used to going across the middle and taking big hits from the linebackers." Cooper has top-notch speed, and he would require special attention in the slot, as he is simply too fast to be covered with a linebacker, and maybe even too fast for a safety.
While he will be able to display that speed in other on-field drills Saturday, Cooper will not be participating in the 40 yard dash until South Carolina's pro day on March 30.
"I'm not doing the 40," the wide receiver said. "I strained my quad earlier in the process. I tried to get back running last week, and it was just too tight. It was about 85 percent, but I'll be doing everything else besides the 40 now."
Cooper is a speedster, and he often relies on his straight-line speed to beat defensive backs. According to scouting reports, his route running and quickness leaves a little to be desired, but he patterns his game after versatile wide receivers Percy Harvin and Randall Cobb.
Currently projected to be drafted in the second round, Cooper should be a solid pickup for whichever NFL team ends up with him. While it might take him a while to adjust to the professional game, Cooper has experience in multiple facets of an offense, and he has proven that he can make big plays regardless of the talent around him.