The 2026 NFL Draft is quickly approaching, but first, the athletes need to get to the NFL Combine, which will take place this week in Indianapolis. Quite a few Indiana players from the National Championship team will participate in the skills test to show NFL teams what they are made of.
One player that many will be watching is not only quarterback Fernando Mendoza, but also wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr., who became a star for the Hoosiers this past season. His biggest play came against Penn State with a fantastic go-ahead touchdown that helped keep Indiana undefeated.
Now, Cooper will take his talents to the NFL, and there is one team he could have a true connection with.
The Pittsburgh Steelers will probably be on the market for a star wide receiver in the NFL Draft, and Cooper makes sense as a candidate for the Black and Yellow, as the Steelers' new wide receiver coach is Adam Henry, who recruited Cooper to Indiana.
One name #Steelers insider @FarabaughFB is keeping an eye on at wide receiver after the first round: Indiana's Omar Cooper
— Austin Bechtold (@AustinRBechtold) February 24, 2026
New Steelers WR coach Adam Henry recruited Cooper to Indiana pic.twitter.com/KNfnzBPqC0
Omar Cooper Jr. to the Pittsburgh Steelers just makes sense with Adam Henry now on staff
After recruiting Cooper to Indiana. Henry ended up taking a position with the Buffalo Bills in 2023, where he spent the next three seasons as the wide receivers coach. Now, with the move to Pittsburgh and the Steelers in need of a talented pass catcher, the reunion with Cooper seems written in the stars.
Cooper will bring a great talent to the Steelers if they choose to select him. In three seasons at Indiana, Cooper has 1,798 receiving yards with 22 touchdowns, averaging 15.6 yards per reception. His best season was by far his final one, where he compiled 937 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns, and was a big part of the Hoosiers winning a National Championship.
With his speed and big play ability, Cooper could fit in with the Steelers' offense that could be going through a change this season with uncertainty surrounding Aaron Rodgers.