Alabama defensive back Nick Perry, after five years in the Crimson Tide program, has now seen enough of Amari Cooper to declare him the best wide receiver he's ever been around.
That would be a rather obvious claim for most, except that Perry is old enough to have been around Julio Jones, as well.
"He's definitely the best receiver that I've seen play here," Perry said, according to Sports Illustrated.
Perry redshirted as a true freshman in 2010, which was Jones' last year with the Crimson Tide before becoming the No. 6 overall pick of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons. Jones' name was all over the Alabama record books for receiving after just three seasons in college, and Cooper, in turn, has knocked Jones off the top of the charts. Jones said last week that he expects Cooper, a junior, to eventually make an outstanding pro.
Perry described Cooper, who is a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award as the nation's top receiver, as a "one-man wrecking crew." Cooper ranks third in the NCAA in receiving yards at 1,349, and could reach 1,500 with a strong performance Saturday in the annual Iron Bowl against archrival Auburn. Still, Perry sees a player who is still improving.
"The scary thing is he's getting better and better each and every day. He's not complacent," Perry added. "He feels like there's always something he can do better."
Cooper will decide whether to enter the 2015 NFL Draft after the season. Underclassmen have until Jan. 15 to file notice to the league of early eligibility.
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