While Amari Cooper is certainly a true No. 1 receiver and is a three-time Pro Bowler, he is not really viewed among the very top wideouts in the NFL, with guys like Julio Jones, Odell Beckham Jr., and DeAndre Hopkins generally being regarded as better players.
Dallas Cowboys wide receivers coach Sanjay Lal agrees with that assessment, stating that he doesn't think Cooper has yet reached the point where he can be considered elite:
“He’s not elite yet,” said Lal, according to Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News. “As his coach, not as a fan, as his coach, he’s not elite yet. But I want to make clear: He can be elite, and he will be.”
To be fair to Lal, he blatantly stated that he thinks Cooper has the potential to reach that level and will eventually get there, but at this stage, it's hard to argue with him.
However, Cooper is taking steps toward improvement this season.
Through the first seven weeks, the 25-year-old has logged 38 catches for 621 yards and five touchdowns, putting him on pace for what should be another Pro Bowl-caliber campaign.
Cooper arrived in Dallas last year, coming over in a midseason trade with the Oakland Raiders. In nine games with the Cowboys in 2018, he caught 53 passes for 725 yards and six scores, and on the season overall, he hauled in 75 receptions for 1,005 yards and seven touchdowns, making the Pro Bowl.
He spent his first three-and-a-half seasons with the Raiders, earning Pro Bowl appearances in his first couple of seasons, with his most productive year to date coming in 2016 when he snared 83 balls for 1,153 yards while reaching the end zone five times.
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