The Dallas Cowboys made the blockbuster move last week to acquire former Pro Bowl wide receiver Amari Cooper from the Oakland Raiders in exchange for a 2019 first-round draft selection.
It was a move that the Cowboys had first done their homework on that included giving a phone call to Alabama head coach Nick Saban, who coached him during his collegiate career, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
The people who knew Cooper spoke glowingly about him, according to sources. The list of people the Cowboys questioned for information about Cooper included Nick Saban, his former head coach at Alabama; Cowboys tight ends coach Doug Nussmeier, who coached Cooper at Alabama in 2012 and 2013; former Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio; and Cowboys fullback Jamize Olawale, who played with Cooper for three seasons in Oakland.
Dallas clearly wanted to make sure that that they got all the information that was needed in order to get the proper assessment before moving on from a first-round draft pick. That is a hefty price tag to give up to acquire him, which the Cowboys heard enough to make the move.
It now possibly puts in place a player that could potentially step in as the No.1 wide receiver in the passing game that could help take the offense to the next level. Cooper has previously shown in his career that he can consistently put up elite-level production as he had over 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first two seasons that earned him back-to-back Pro Bowl selections. He has seen a significant drop off in production the last couple of years due to his struggles with consistency and injuries.
Cooper has a situation in front of him where he could ingrain himself as a long-term part of the Cowboys' future by proving he can be a bonafide No.1 wide receiver.
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