Realistic Expectations for Oakland Raiders WR Amari Cooper

Former Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper was chosen fourth overall by the Oakland Raiders in April's NFL draft in the hopes that he'll become a franchise cornerstone for years to come. 

And if you've heard even a little bit of the praise being given to the young pass-catcher, you might think he's already gone out and crushed his first batch of NFL defenses. 

Jamie Dukes of NFL Media recently compared Cooper to the Pittsburgh Steelers' Antonio Brown, based on his route-running ability and NFL-readiness stemming from his time in Alabama's pro-style offense.

But wait, there's more. 

Raiders and San Francisco 49ers legendary wide receiver Jerry Rice has an even loftier comparison for Cooper.

"They have their new Tim Brown," Rice said in an interview with CSN California. 

In case you need a reminder of Brown's success, NFL Media produced a graphic to refresh fans' memories:

Amari Cooper is a rare and polished talent—there's no denying that. But to compare Cooper to not only one of the league's best new receivers but also to one of its all-time greats isn't fair or logical. Cooper has yet to see NFL action outside of training camp. 

It's time we laid out some reasonable expectations for the Raiders rookie. 

Hype is fun. Raider Nation undoubtedly loves the attention and respect Cooper is already receiving from around the league. But media hype also attracts the attention of other NFL teams that will use that hype to their advantages when preparing to play Oakland. 

Expect Cooper to receive double coverage early and often during the 2015 season, and for his production to take a dip. 

Oakland didn't have a single player eclipse 700 yards receiving last season. Cooper should break 700 yards in 2015, but by how much?

It seems reasonable to say that Cooper will hit close to the 1,000-yard-receiving marker, give or take 100 yards. Raider fans are hoping for double-digit touchdowns from their prized rookie, but it's hard to say that he'll score more than 10 times this season. 

Cooper is a rookie, after all, though this video, which surfaced on Vine during the team's Sunday practice, shows Cooper making Raiders second-year cornerback Keith McGill look silly: 

There's plenty of reason to be optimistic about Cooper for the upcoming season. But for a fanbase that has seen so much losing in the past decade, it's important to stay levelheaded with realistic expectations for a player who has yet to step onto an NFL field.