Raiders Get 49ers’ Cooper for Draft Pick

The Raiders took on another in their long list of reclamation projects Wednesday, sending a draft choice to the San Francisco 49ers for Earl Cooper, a one-time No. 1 pick who has lately fallen into disuse.

The choice is reportedly a No. 6, conditional on Cooper’s making the squad.

“Position-wise, we’ll start him off at tight end,” Coach Tom Flores said. “Something that interests me is he’s a tight end but he’s been a fullback.”

Cooper, 29, is 6-2 and 230 pounds. A halfback at Rice who wowed scouts with a big game against Oklahoma, he was the 13th overall selection in 1980. He started at halfback as a rookie, rushing for 720 yards and a 4.2 average, and catching 83 passes, the NFL record for rookie receptions.

He was also a disappointment, with other NFL teams questioning his toughness. He was switched to tight end and caught 41 passes in 1984.

By last season, he was running behind Russ Francis and John Frank. He caught four passes and finished the season on injured reserve due to migraine headaches. With a salary of $317,500, which is what he will earn this season, he had become expendable to the 49ers.

Raider owner Al Davis is said to have liked Cooper as a collegian.

The Raiders are happy enough with tight ends Todd Christensen, a top receiver; Andy Parker, a blocker, and Trey Junkin, a prospect. Davis, however, has talked of the need for a bigger fullback than the 5-10, 210-pound Frank Hawkins to pass-block against the new blitzing defenses.