He played in the spread era.

Lane Kiffin made him better.

Most of his receptions were low-risk.

The knocks are endless from those arguing Julio Jones comes before Amari Cooper, but last season’s Heisman finalist is well-deserving of the ‘Crimson Tide’s best wide receiver in program history’ title after crafting his game to best fit (and dominate) the current offensive landscape in college football.

RELATED: SEC Debate — Julio Jones or Amari Cooper?

What felt like a season-long office debate has spilled over into the offseason as Cooper nears the NFL Draft and here’s a final attempt at setting the record straight concerning his position among other receiving greats at the Capstone.

COLD HARD FACTS

Not only did Cooper break all of Alabama’s single-season and career receiving records (step to the side, Julio), he became only the second SEC receiver ever to win the Biletnikoff Award last season and was the league’s first Heisman finalist at the position.

If that’s not enough, Cooper finished just 297 yards and 35 catches away from setting the SEC’s all-time mark in both categories despite playing a full season less than the guy ahead of him, Vanderbilt’s Jordan Matthews. With one more touchdown reception, Cooper would’ve been the league’s all-time leader with 32, again, as a three-year player.

Need more?

If Cooper had stuck around for his senior year, simply hitting his career average of 1,154 yards receiving would’ve been enough to put him in sole possession of second place on college football’s all-time yardage list behind Nevada’s Trevor Insley.

Considering two of Cooper’s three seasons were played in what most consider a pro-style offense, that’s impressive.

THE TAPE IS FILTHY

What happened when teams schemed against No. 9? Cooper simply ran through them and made plays regardless.

In my opinion, Cooper’s most noteworthy game as a junior last season wasn’t his 13-catch, 224-yard explosion in the Iron Bowl or his multi-touchdown destruction of Tennessee. It was Cooper’s slap across Will Muschamp’s face in September, a nationally-televised clinic despite a huge target on his back after starting the season with a FBS-leading 33 catches through three games.

Equipped with what was billed as the SEC’s best secondary coming into the 2014 campaign, Florida’s defensive guru had no answers for Alabama’s rhythmic flow from Blake Sims to Cooper as the pair hooked up seven times for 175 yards in the first half including a 79-yard touchdown strike.

Cooper wasn’t done making the Gators’ back end look foolish.

Matched up against Vernon Hargreaves in the third quarter, Cooper won a jump-ball against the All-SEC corner for a 4-yard score from Jacob Coker and later made veteran defender Brian Poole look silly on a routine fade route for a touchdown in the fourth.

WHAT OTHERS SAY

Cooper’s quick first step and precise route running separates him from the competition according to most of the defensive backs he has played against. His finesse approach — a lost art in today’s game — may not terrify the opposition, but the results will.

Teammate Nick Perry, a fifth-year senior who graduated in December, described Cooper as a ‘one-man wrecking crew’ to Sports Illustrated and said he was ‘definitely the best receiver that I’ve seen play here.’

Primarily a reserve as a true freshman in 2010, Perry already had experience defending Jones at the prep level and went up against him again in practice, so he had another elite receiver to compare Cooper against.

“He wants to be the best player he can possibly be,” Perry told SI. “The scary thing is he’s getting better and better each and every day. He’s not complacent. (Amari) feels like there’s always something he can do better.”

What say you Alabama fans — does Cooper or Jones hold wide receiver supremacy?