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Amari Cooper Is Just What Colin Kaepernick Needs to Succeed

By Phillip Benson

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2014 was not kind to the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers’ season was full of coaching controversy, an inability to field healthy players, and an abundance of off-field issues. What has been widely viewed as a successful tenure under Jim Harbaugh does not seem to be how Jed York and the front office viewed those same four years.

With a tough, hard-nosed defense, and a highly gifted athlete in Colin Kaepernick, a Super Bowl title certainly looked to be within reach for the 49ers. 2014 did not come close to meeting those expectations, and has left a lot of questions for the organization this offseason.

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While 2014 was a season to forget, the offseason is now time to write a new chapter and start out fresh.

Kaepernick was drafted in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft and a player Harbaugh tabbed to lead his team in the future. Kaepernick was thrust into the spotlight a little prematurely following the unfortunate concussion to Alex Smith.  With their starting quarterback out, the 49ers had no choice but to bring in Kaepernick.

But Harbaugh took it a step further when he named Kaepernick his guy for the rest of the year — despite the fact that Smith had been cleared to play.  A frustrated Smith found himself out of San Francisco in the offseason, as Harbaugh seemed to have moved on from him, to the younger and more exciting Kaepernick. Since 2013, the full-time starting job has been Kaepernick’s.

Kaepernick has had his ups and downs since assuming the starting role, and those peaks and valleys certainly came to a head over the 2014 season. Those inconsistencies has led Kaepernick to seek outside help this offseason to better his game — as well as his image.

December 28, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) passes the football against Arizona Cardinals outside linebacker Alex Okafor (57) during the first quarter at Levi

Kaepernick is very confident in himself and his abilities to be a starting QB in the NFL. And he certainly hasn’t been shy about expressing his self-confidence, posing shirtless for magazines, appearing in various television commercials, and making appearances at the ESPY’s.

Kurt Warner, former Super Bowl winning quarterback and NFL MVP with the St. Louis Rams, invited Kaepernick to his football training camp at the EXOS training facility in Arizona, along with current football players and NFL Draft prospects. Warner was the classiest of quarterbacks, and was himself, a prolific pocket-passer.

Kaepernick is gifted with his athleticism and can run away from pressure unlike any other quarterback today. But what Warner is focusing on helping Kaepernick with, is putting the right amount of pressure on throws, and mentally focusing on the game.

Kaepernick throws darts and bullets on a majority of passes, and there is no question that he has a cannon for an arm. But he has lacked the proper decision-making skills of an effective, highly paid field general. Kaepernick has not always been in a system where it preaches throwing from the pocket, as the play-calling he had in college favored the spread style offense.

Kaepernick’s strength and abilities though, will allow him to excel in the pocket, and he has gradually shown signs of improvement. While a poorly built offensive line doesn’t always show that improvement, observers only have to look closely at the quarterback and his feet.

While Kaepernick has shown signs that he is built for the job, it begs the question — does Kaepernick belong as the 49ers’ long-term answer at quarterback?

San Francisco’s fanbase is currently putting a lot of heat on the front office and Kaepernick for their recent struggles. He is making the kind of money that brings with it, heightened expectations.

But 49ers fans must learn to be a little patient.

Steve Young is an example of a great 49ers quarterback that didn’t have the best start to his career. Young started early in his career and struggled while the quarterback for a very bad Tampa Bay team. The Buccaneers were atrocious and Young had to work hard to become the prolific passer he eventually came to be. Young’s best days didn’t arrive until he played for the 49ers, where he proved to be a Super Bowl champion and a Hall of Fame worthy quarterback. If the 49ers had given up on Young, where would they be today?

Kaepernick’s path toward becoming a consistent quarterback seems to be paralleling that of the great Young.

Given how thin the 49ers currently are at the wide receiver spot, Kaepernick hasn’t had a lot of support on offense. To remedy this, the 49ers need to bring in players who can accommodate Kaepernick’s abilities. With a poor offensive line and wide receivers who can’t seem to run proper routes or create separation, Kaepernick has had to rely on his legs as he desperately tries to create a play.

Michael Crabtree has always been a favorite target for Kaepernick, but he has never lived up to expectation as a top wide out. There is Anquan Boldin, whose best days appear to be behind him. After the acquisition of Stevie Johnson, there were signs of chemistry between he and Kaepernick, but Johnson also saw limited playing time. Under Harbaugh, Quinton Patton and Bruce Ellington saw very few reps as they lacked experience and battled injury.

“Amari Cooper- you think about as a number three player on the big board. I look at Jerry Rice. Jerry Rice had that great work ethic. Amari Cooper- same type of things. Spends tons of time after practice, always working on route-running, his stats are incredible, and he’s a guy who consistently week after week, puts up the big numbers,” – Mel Kiper

There is no doubt that San Francisco’s many questions at the wide receiver spot has hurt Kaeperenick’s game.

Joe Montana and Young had Jerry Rice  — the greatest wide receiver of all-time — but since becoming the starting QB, Kaepernick has lacked a wide receiver with elite capabilities.

The 49ers can solve that issue, by drafting Amari Cooper in the upcoming 2015 NFL Draft.

Cooper, who was first team All-American out of the University of Alabama,  put together one heck of a career in only three seasons, against arguably the best defensive conference in college football. Cooper put up 124 receptions, 1727 yards, and 16 touchdowns in his junior season, carrying the offensive load for the Crimson Tide.

Long before the college season had even ended, Cooper was already being called the best wide receiver in the draft. With the recent NFL Combine in late February, Cooper’s name seemed to vanish from the news though. It could mean that Cooper is already known for what he can do, or the other receivers in the class put on a show at the combine.

Pro Days have yet to take place –which should put Cooper back on top — but names such as Kevin White, Dorial Green-Beckham, Devante Parker, and Jaelen Strong seem to have stolen most of the headlines recently.

Cooper fading away from the spotlight could be a blessing for the 49ers.

Dec 6, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide receiver Amari Cooper (9) catches a pass Missouri Tigers defensive back

John Gibson

(1) in the second quarter of the 2014 SEC Championship Game at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

If you are looking for the ideal player who runs exceptional routes already, Cooper is your guy.

Rice was one of the greatest route-runners the game has ever seen, and rarely do people compare anyone to Rice since it is near impossible to do. But they seem to be doing just that with Cooper. He makes plays look smooth and effortless and has the ability to position himself perfectly for a big time catch.

NFL Draft guru, Mel Kiper, has been a strong supporter of Amari Cooper, who he says reminds him of the great Rice. High praise there, Kiper.

Cooper displays great effort and the desire to be great football player, while being humble at the same time. Not only do the 49ers need character in the locker room, they need that great character to also be elite talent on the field.

Patrick Willis and Justin Smith are already the leaders on the defensive side of the ball, and Frank Gore‘s days in San Francisco look numbered. Those three have put their heart in soul into the game of football, but also have been leaders and voices for the younger players. Rarely do you see an elite talent who is also a model citizen, and Cooper is exactly that.

The 49ers currently sit fifteenth in the upcoming NFL Draft, but Cooper is definitely a player worth moving up to get. San Francisco has a lot of pressing needs that must be addressed at the end of April, but packaging some picks to obtain Cooper is what will have to happen if they hope to get a shot at him. While losing picks may be a concern for a team that needs the players, they can certainly turn to the free agent market to help fill those holes on their roster.

Cooper has not had the opportunity to work alongside Kaepernick,  as the likes of White, Strong, and Beckham-Green look to be in favor for the 49ers at the moment — all have been linked to San Francisco in various mock drafts. All three of the wide receivers have been in Phoenix with Kaepernick and others at the EXOS training facility, as Cooper has been independently training away from the facility.

Each of those three look like they are bound for successful NFL careers, but their consistency will be questioned by some. With Cooper though, he never eased up and under-performed throughout his college career. Cooper’s work ethic proves his productivity will not be a concern at the next level.

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The 49ers are already looking shaky in most predictions for success in 2015. The new coaching staff and player performances from 2014 have cast doubt and uneasiness amongst the 49ers’ faithful.

While it is tempting to draft the 6’6″ Dorial or the 4.35 40 time of White — as has been suggested — is it the right call for the 49ers?

If San Francisco wants to instill trust and belief back into their fan base, the easy decision is to sacrifice and move up to land Cooper. He would enhance Kaepernick’s abilities and would be a nice target for the next decade.

Cooper is one of a kind athlete, and is just who Kaepernick needs.

Next: Should the 49ers Go Guard in the First Round?

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