Add quarterback Derek Carr to the list of people who have been impressed by rookie wide receiver Amari Cooper.
Carr appeared on *95.7 The Game *Tuesday and had high praise for his newest offensive weapon.
"He [Cooper] is ridiculous in and out of his breaks," said Carr. "His style of play is perfect for this league. He's good at getting on toes and creating separation. He's good at when the ball is in his hands making those fast-twitch movements to make a guy go one way so he can take it to the house. It's just little things that honestly people don't even notice."
Outside of Cooper's obvious ability between the hash marks, the second-year quarterback has also been impressed with the Alabama product's demeanor and work ethic, evidenced by his desire to put in extra work outside of the team's Alameda, Calif., practice facility.
"His work ethic is second to none," Carr said. "I was throwing with him as soon as mini-camp was over so we can get more reps in, and our plan was to throw a couple more times, but he texted me that night. He said, 'hey, let's throw at least three more times. I need to get this one route right.' Just him telling me that kind of stuff, it blew my mind."
Cooper wasn't the only piece added to a Raiders receiving corps that struggled at times in 2014, as General Manager Reggie McKenzie also signed wide receiver Michael Crabtree.
During his three months in Silver and Black, Crabtree has impressed the Raiders starting quarterback, both on and off the field.
"Crabtree has been awesome, not only just on the field, but in the locker room," Carr said. "He's such a great teammate. I love the guy. I talk to him all the time. We're always talking about the game. We're always talking ball. We're always talking routes, concepts, and what we're going to do during the game, and hand signals, all those things. He is a football junkie. He's been a nice guy, a nice addition to our team."
During their talks, however, Carr and Crabtree haven't yet discussed the pre-season success Carr had against Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman last season.
"To be honest, we haven't," Carr laughed, when asked if the pair had discussed Sherman. "I don't know if it'll come up or not. Obviously Richard is a great player. I obviously think very highly of him, but I think Crab [Crabtree] likes that I'm not going to just take one side of the field out of play. I think he likes that I'll be aggressive, and mistakes might happen, but I'm still going to be aggressive and play the whole field."
Crabtree's productivity is well chronicled, and when healthy, the Raiders know what they will get from him – a receiver with a 1,000-yard receiving season under his belt and 26 career touchdowns.
Cooper on the other hand, while young, is incredibly talented, and Carr believes he has the ability to be a special player in the league.
"I think the sky's the limit for him, obviously," Carr said. "Hopefully I just get the ball into his hands so he can make the plays."
