Amari Cooper Leads the Country in Receiving, Proving he's one of Alabama's Greatest Receivers Ever

"DJ Hall a beast? Yeah he's all right, but he's not tough, not physical. One guy brings him down often and he complains too much. I can't wait to get to Alabama," said a young, animated Julio Jones. "I'm going to define what it means to be a receiver at Bama. By the time I'm done, people will forget all about DJ."

Size, speed, hands, Julio Jones had it all. His ability to run routes, his leaping ability, and his strength, all of that defines Julio, who was arguably one of the best wide receivers the University of Alabama has ever seen. And he knew he would be the best, he set out to be that in high school and proved it in three years with the Crimson Tide.

Close to a year ago, Jones hurt his foot and was sidelined for the rest of the season. Saban commented on this saying: "My heart's out to the guy. Julio Jones was the hardest worker, [and he] totally changed the culture of the receiver position at the University of Alabama when he was here."

That, he did, paving the way for a young, 6'1" four-star from Miami named Amari Cooper.

On ESPN's recruiting site, they analyzed Cooper: "[He's] Not a guy who is going to break many tackles and his biggest adjustment to the next level will be adjusting to the increased physicality; could struggle early breaking press and going up for the ball over the middle."

Well, as you might've seen Saturday, Cooper dealt with physicality in Vernon Hargreaves III, arguably the SEC's best cornerback. Amari Cooper broke over the middle, made catches, broke tackles, and turned out a 201-yard performance on 10 catches, including three huge touchdowns to lead the Tide over the Gators. But back to Cooper's rise.

In 2012, Cooper's freshman year, the explosive wide-receiver caught 59 passes for 1000 yards and 11 touchdowns. Julio's freshman year? 58 catches, 924 yards and four touchdowns. You get the gist. Cooper's sophomore year, like Julio's, featured a drop in production, but then came his junior year, this year, and Cooper was prepared to prove that he was the country's best receiver.

"I don't know if I've had a lot of success," Cooper said this year prior to the season. "I don't look at it like I've had a lot of success. I'm always anxious to do more. Break records."

And he's done just that. Go look at the NCAA's receiving statistic list. Who leads in catches? Cooper, with 43. Who leads in yards? Cooper, with 655. And in touchdowns? Well, Cooper turns in a disappointing third, with 5 touchdown catches.

Cooper is the best receiver in college football, hands down. You know that, I know that, Nick Saban and Lane Kiffin know that, and he knows that. He's on pace to catch over 100 passes and on Saturday he surpassed Julio Jones and every Alabama receiver before him by shattering Alabama's career touchdown reception record with 20, a record that has been set since 1967.

So, yes, I will conclude by calling him the best receiver in Alabama's history, do you not concur? He's athletic, he's quick, he's got great hands, and oh yeah, Chris Carter -- yes the hall of fame receiver that played for the Minnesota Vikings -- compared Cooper to Randy Moss, last week.

With Julio leading the NFL through 3 weeks and Cooper holding the flag in college football, Nick Saban looks upon his 4-0 Crimson Tide knowing that he may have had two of the greatest receivers of all-time.