Nov 29, 2014; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Amari Cooper (9) catches a touchdown pass past Auburn Tigers defensive back Johnathan Ford (23) in the third quarter at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Round 1: Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama (4th overall)

The Raiders surprised a lot of people with their first selection in the 2015 NFL Draft. Most mock drafts predicted that Raiders would select USC defensive tackle Leonard Williams with the fourth overall pick.

The only situation in which many people thought that they would draft Cooper was if Williams was selected by the Tennessee Titans or Jacksonville Jaguars. As it happened the Raiders selected Cooper and ended up with the consensus number one wide receiver in the draft. With this selection, the Raiders affirmed their commitment to quarterback Derek Carr or at least affirmed their commitment to the fact that he must have top tier talent around him before he is truly judged as a quarterback.

Cooper was the best receiver in the nation last season and put up absolutely ridiculous numbers at Alabama. He is in instant starter and has a chance to be the Raiders number one receiver before the end of training camp.

The Raiders also just released James Jones so they have also affirmed their commitment to the WR corps of Amari Cooper, Michael Crabtree, and Rod Streeter as the three starters. It will be interesting to see whether Cooper is a starter in the slot or if he plays one of the outside receiver positions. His versatility and ability to play all three receivers positions is one of his many strengths and this could be one of the best Raiders draft picks in a very long time.

Grade: A+