Bills fans may be sick after Jets steal Omar Cooper Jr. right out from under them

The New York Jets made a much-needed addition to their wide receiver room at the end of the first round in the 2026 NFL Draft, trading up for Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr.

Cooper was linked to the Jets throughout the pre-draft process and ended up sliding just far enough for Darren Mougey to feel comfortable sending the No. 33 and No. 179 picks to the San Francisco 49ers for the Hoosier's services.

After adding Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq at No. 16, the Jets have immediately improved their weaponry heading into 2026 for quarterback Geno Smith to work with.

But the added sweetener of grabbing Cooper at No. 30? They may have just snatched him up out from under their AFC East division rival, the Buffalo Bills.

Jets may have stolen Omar Cooper Jr. from the Bills

The Bills had been wheeling and dealing all night long, moving down the draft board, and ultimately ended up at pick No. 31.

Darren Mougey, likely knowing Buffalo's interest in adding a wide receiver, pulled the trigger on a deal that would put the Jets one spot ahead of their foe and got the best available pass-catching prospect on the board.

BuffaLowDown's Brandon Ray believed Cooper would've been a home run addition for the Bills with their late first-round pick, had he been available to them.

"Omar Cooper Jr., who is coming off winning a national championship with Indiana, might be the most realistic receiving option that the Bills have available in the first round. He brings great physicality to his game, and the Bills would have great versatility with him out to the side and in the backfield. He might be the best fit for Joe Brady's offense that no one is talking about"

Brandon Ray

In all fairness, the Bills had two different opportunities to pick up Cooper. They traded down a grand total of three times, from both the 26th and 28th overall picks, before moving back from No. 31 after losing Cooper.

If they really did want him that bad, they probably could've justified nabbing the national champion with either No. 26 or No. 28.

Instead, Cooper is donning the Green & White, and the Bills can look forward to facing him two times a year for (hopefully) the rest of his career.

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