A transcription of Amari Cooper’s interview at the NFL scouting combine . . .



— On Lane Kiffin: He’s a very technical coach. He observes what the defensive team is doing in the best way he can. Me specifically, he moves me around a lot so a team can’t really prepare for me. He’ll line me up at the H, Z to X, he’ll even put me in the backfield to create some mismatches.

— On making his routes look the same: You don’t want to give the defensive back any signals about what route you’re going to run. Every time I run a route, I try to make it seem like I’m running a different route than I’m actually running so I can get open.

— The best receiver in the draft class: I certainly want to be the best receiver, not just in this class, but overall, wherever I go, and I’m going to work hard to try to be that.

— Doing pullups as part of a workout regimen: That’s just a part of my workout, my trainer, he came up with that slogan, and he wanted to get me on a video doing those pull-ups. But the pull-ups are just a part of my workout.

— If receivers are better trained than they were years ago: I wouldn’t say that we’re better trained, because I don’t know how the past receivers were trained.

— Better trained by being in a pro-style offense: I don’t know if that really has an effect on how a receiver is trained. I think the coaches coach the same way in my opinion.

I think I can come in and have similar production to what those guys have.

— What separates him from other WRs in the draft class: I don’t really watch much of those other guys, but from what I’ve heard, they’re really great receivers. I just go out there and try to work as hard as I can to be the best that I can.

— What sets him apart: I take good pride in the way I release off the line and coming out of my breaks. That’s really the only two ways you can get open. I think that’s probably what would separate me from someone else.

— What he can do better: I think I can be more consistent in everything that I do. There were definitely times when I didn’t look the ball all the way through when I should’ve, which could’ve propelled me from maybe 200 yards to probably whatever that catch may have been. There were definitely times when I could’ve high-pointed the ball, and again could’ve made my numbers look better. Just consistency in everything that I do.

— Importance of speed: A lot of DBs are really quick. The faster you get out of your break, the more separation you’ll have from them.

— Best DBs faced in college:I would say Vernon Hargreaves was really quick, really instinctive, really fast, a real ballhawk, so he’s probably the best that I’ve gone against.

— Impact of former assistant Mike Groh: Coach Groh is a great coach. He’s really specific, he’s really diligent in the way he approaches, the way he wants to teach us. He’ll go out and watch a lot of film on other guys, NFL receivers, and come back and try to

teach it to us so we can be the best that we can be.

— If he’s spoken to any receivers that have come out over past few years: (have you spoken to any receivers that have come out in the last few years) No I haven’t actually.

— Relationship with former Alabama receiver Julio Jones: I’ve definitely met with him and talked to him a few times. He’s definitely given me advice on what it takes to be a great player, but we don’t have that constant connection.

— Effect of Lane Kiffn: Having coach Kiffin there, he’s moved me around so much that I had no other choice but to have a better understanding of an offensive system.

— On if he can still get better or has he peaked: Yes, definitely. I’m only 20 years old. I think I’m one of the youngest players here. So most of those guys are older than me, so I definitely feel like I have a high ceiling and a lot to improve on.