Pharoh Cooper hauled in 66 passes for 973 yards and eight touchdowns in his junior season at South Carolina, and decided to parlay those numbers into an early entry into the NFL draft.

That’s one of the main topics for Gamecock fans as the NFL draft gets underway tonight in Chicago.

Here’s a breakdown on that, and a few other things to keep an eye on:

WHERE WILL PHAROH COOPER BE DRAFTED?

Cooper was one of the SEC’s most productive receivers, but his measureables (5-foot-11, 203 pounds) and lack of blazing top-end speed (4.63 40-yard dash time) place him squarely in the middle rounds of the draft.

He divides opinion among scouts, too.

“He’s a good player,” a NFC South scout told NFL.com. “Scouts can’t worry about how a player like Cooper is going to be used because that is the OC’s job. Our job is to find good football players. He’s a good football player.”

Pro Football Focus says he’s “far from the finished product, but as a big-play threat from the slot and a player that can be used as a space player and return specialist, he adds value in the middle rounds.”

Cooper, on the other hand, just wants to know where he’s going.

“I’m just ready to know where I’m going, see who I’m playing for,” Cooper told WLTX TV recently. “Really just excitement is the thing going through my body right now.”

ESPN’s Todd McShay projects Cooper to the New York Giants in round three, where he would be an interesting fit in an offense that already includes Odell Beckham Jr. and Eli Manning.

With a skill set similar to All-Pro players Antonio Brown and Julian Edelman, the third round seems like a good landing spot for Cooper.

WHERE WILL JERELL ADAMS WIND UP?

A big, athletic tight end is a valuable commodity in the pro game, and Adams, who stands 6-foot-5, is both. He was the Gamecocks’ second leading receiver last fall (28 catches, 421 yards, 3 TD) and he’s been steadily climbing up draft boards during the evaluation process.

His 4.64 40-yard dash time at the combine helped, as did his other workout numbers.

“Jerell Adams is the most underrated of all the tight ends in this year’s class,” McShay told The State. “He’s still developing, still growing into his frame.”

Comparing Adams to Cooper is the same as comparing the college game to the NFL — what suits one may not suit the other. Cooper was a far more productive player in the SEC, but Adams fits the mold of the modern NFL player at his position far better.

Pro Football Focus and CBS both project Adams to come off the board in round two, and as a consensus top-five tight end in this year’s class, that sounds about right.

WHO WILL MAKE THE BETTER PRO?

It’s hard to look beyond Cooper’s ability to make plays when projecting the future NFL prospects of this group. He’s one of those players that may not wow scouts in a T-shirt and shorts, but always seems to be faster and quicker than the guy lined up across from him.

He should make an immediate impact in the return game, and in the right system, can help a team in the slot right away.

DRAFT PROJECTIONS

  • Jerell Adams, TE (second round)
  • Pharoh Cooper, WR (third round)
  • Brandon Shell, OT (sixth round)
  • Gerald Dixon Jr., DT (seventh round)
  • Brandon Wilds, RB (undrafted)

RECENT HISTORY

  • 2015: No first round, four picks
  • 2014: One first-round (Jadeveon Clowney), two picks
  • 2013: No first-round, seven picks
  • 2012: Two first-round (Melvin Ingram and Stephon Gilmore), six picks
  • 2011: No first-round, two picks