📡 The unreal story of how Amari Cooper picked up Alabama scholarship from Nick Saban

[18Champs]

A bit of a long read with some videos. Here's what caught me.


The memory that most sticks out is when I was 17 and I went to the Alabama camp. It was really hot. We were doing 1 on 1s. I ran a route and made this guy fall. And it was right in front of coach (Nick) Saban. He saw it and came up to me and took off his hat and he shook my hand and I got a (scholarship) offer that day. That’s the memory that sticks out.

You ran one route and got a scholarship offer to Alabama?

Yeah, and that’s really a compliment to Coach Saban and how good of a recruiter he is. I was kinda shocked myself. When he shook my hand and told me he wanted to meet me in my office later, I didn’t know what that was going to be. I didn’t know he was going to offer me. He did and I was taken aback by that; I thought, ‘This guy has seen me run one route.’ He has an eye for talent to see one play and knew, ‘I want this guy on my team.’

The unreal story of how Amari Cooper picked up Alabama scholarship from Nick Saban

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Amari Cooper comes across as shy and quiet, but in the right setting he has a lot to say about chess, books, and even Alabama Crimson Tide head football coach Nick Saban.

www.star-telegram.com

 

[alabama mike]

Good thing the route was run right in front of Coach that day.

 

[Tidestalker]

He was the best route runner I can ever remember watching. This awesome combo of speed and precision... Even though the speedsters are usually missing that!

 

[BamaFan334]

He was the best route runner I can ever remember watching. This awesome combo of speed and precision... Even though the speedsters are usually missing that!

Ridley and Jeudy are close, if not better route runners than Cooooooooop, but you're right, his speed in and out of his cuts never waivered which sets him a part from the others.

 

[TUSKtimes]

It's easy to make a case for Amari Cooper being the best receiver ever at Alabama. It takes a lot of talent to get that honor but also an offensive system that caters to what you do best. Between AJ and that wild stuff, Kiffin was running in 2014 with Sims, he certainly had that.

Ozzie wasn't going to get half the opportunities in his hybrid position. And wishbone at that. To think what Julio could have accomplished in the AJ/Sims era, or how about the Tua era? I guess timing is everything.

 

[94 Grad]

I didn't read the link... but anyone want to make a bet that CNS had seen plenty of film on Mr. Cooper prior to him ever running that single route... ? would bet chances were HIGH that he was fully aware of the talent at that camp prior to day 1...

 

[94 Grad]

It's easy to make a case for Amari Cooper being the best receiver ever at Alabama. It takes a lot of talent to get that honor but also an offensive system that caters to what you do best. Between AJ and that wild stuff, Kiffin was running in 2014 with Sims, he certainly had that.

Ozzie wasn't going to get half the opportunities in his hybrid position. And wishbone at that. To think what Julio could have accomplished in the AJ/Sims era, or how about the Tua era? I guess timing is everything.

Julio is a physical beast.... he was used correctly at Bama... short screen and let him run. I don't think he's on par with Ridley nor Cooper for route running down the field nor does he have their "soft hands". Ridley might have been the best I've seen as a full package in college. He was truly "uncoverable" in college ball. I expect he will have a very good career in the NFL too. Cooper is precision plan and simple. I love Jeudy too. I don't think his route running is as good down field as coopers was/is... but his crossing routes are some of the best, if not the best I've ever seen. He'll give the NFL guys FITS and QBs will love HIM next year.

Cooper, Ridley, Jeudy and Jones are all 4 beast and all for really different reasons. I'm not sure you can label one, better than the others and vice versa.

 

[TUSKtimes]

Julio is a physical beast.... he was used correctly at Bama... short screen and let him run. I don't think he's on par with Ridley nor Cooper for route running down the field nor does he have their "soft hands". Ridley might have been the best I've seen as a full package in college. He was truly "uncoverable" in college ball. I expect he will have a very good career in the NFL too. Cooper is precision plan and simple. I love Jeudy too. I don't think his route running is as good down field as coopers was/is... but his crossing routes are some of the best, if not the best I've ever seen. He'll give the NFL guys FITS and QBs will love HIM next year.

Cooper, Ridley, Jeudy and Jones are all 4 beast and all for really different reasons. I'm not sure you can label one, better than the others and vice versa.

And Jeudy isn't getting all the QBs attention even with Tua. This is the deepest most talented group of receivers I can ever remember. To have Waddle round this bunch out as the 4th guy is astonishing. To get to Cooper's level Tua would have to primarily stare Jeudy down all season and that's just not going to happen.

Tell you the truth, I don't even know how Sark can screw this offense up. Just hope we can get Tua to sit in the pocket and quit spinning and thinking that every play needs to be made. No more Jalen, just throw the ball away, and quickly.

 

[Tidestalker]

And Jeudy isn't getting all the QBs attention even with Tua. This is the deepest most talented group of receivers I can ever remember. To have Waddle round this bunch out as the 4th guy is astonishing. To get to Cooper's level Tua would have to primarily stare Jeudy down all season and that's just not going to happen.

Tell you the truth, I don't even know how Sark can screw this offense up. Just hope we can get Tua to sit in the pocket and quit spinning and thinking that every play needs to be made. No more Jalen, just throw the ball away, and quickly.

Dido.

Only way the O doesn't dominate is if the OL struggles or gets injured... RTR

 

[sean]

I didn't read the link... but anyone want to make a bet that CNS had seen plenty of film on Mr. Cooper prior to him ever running that single route... ? would bet chances were HIGH that he was fully aware of the talent at that camp prior to day 1...

exactly!

they try to make it sound like it was all based on that one play at the camp. but we all know better than that. Coach Saban is certainly no dummy and if there's a receiver that he should be looking at, he'll have seen tape of him before he ever steps foot on campus.

 

[TerryP]

Cooper, Ridley, Jeudy and Jones are all 4 beast and all for really different reasons. I'm not sure you can label one, better than the others and vice versa.

Word coming out of the off-season workouts have Metchie being labeled with "his hands are as good as anyone's on campus right now, if not better."

 

[It Takes Eleven]

Word coming out of the off-season workouts have Metchie being labeled with "his hands are as good as anyone's on campus right now, if not better."

Yeah, he's the future. He and Waddle will be enough next year, but this year will be special. Given the number of incredible receivers we have, plus the imperative to run it some, the only thing holding back the receivers' numbers this year will be each other.

 

[TUSKtimes]

I remember when we won a NC with Hanks, Norwood, and Maze at receiver.