NFL scout: Ja'Marr Chase is 'better than Amari Cooper,' will be No. 1 WR

Ja'Marr Chase has some pretty high expectations heading into the NFL draft and his rookie season in the league. The LSU wide receiver is even drawing comparison to a four-time Pro Bowler. 

According to The Athletic's Bob McGinn, one NFL scout believes Chase will instantly be a No. 1 wide receiver and called him "better than Amari Cooper." 

"He'll need to tighten up his routes a little bit," the scout said. "Unbelievably competitive, unbelievable work ethic. The school loves the kid. You want to be around him. Got that rebounder mentality."

The Oakland Raiders selected Cooper with the fourth-overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft, and the 26-year-old has five seasons of over 1,000 receiving yards. He was traded to the Dallas Cowboys during the 2018 campaign. 

Before the start of the 2020 college football season, Chase opted out due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite not playing, he's expected to be among the first players taken in the draft.

The 21-year-old caught 84 passes for 1,780 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2019 en route to a national title. He became the first Tiger since Josh Reed in 2001 to win the Biletnikoff Award as the nation's top receiver, which is the same award Cooper won in 2014 at Alabama.