Cooper Kupp Fantasy News and Statistics

In case there was any doubt, Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp is indeed following in the footsteps of his father and pursuing a career in pro football. The son of former NFL quarterback Craig Kupp will be entering his rookie season in 2017, but there is plenty of reason to believe it could be a successful one despite his inexperience at the pro level.

A standout athlete in his high school days, Kupp had 110 catches for 2,100 yards during his prep football career. He was also a three-year letter winner in basketball and won the state championship during his senior year.

Kupp earned himself a scholarship to Eastern Washington University. The Washington native, however, was not ready for the vigors of college football right away. He was redshirted in 2012 as he bulked up and got ready for his four-year career with the Eagles. A sign he would endure some success in the coming years came when he was named the offensive scout team player of the year.

Since Kupp proved he could play well in practice, he ended up seeing extensive game time as a redshirt freshman. He came into the year as a starter thanks to a large graduating class and his own growth as a college football player. EWU was a pass-heavy FCS team, so he ended up garnering national attention for his performance. After his freshman year, he earned the Jerry Rice Award given to the top freshman FCS wide receiver. He set FCS first-year records with 93 catches for 1,691 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns. It was clear based on his debut season that he had a future at the next level. He was a First-Team All-American receiver, and the last freshman to achieve that prior to him was Randy Moss.

It would be tough for Kupp to outdo what he did his redshirt freshman year, but all he did was continue to produce in the EWU offense over the next three seasons. He made over 100 catches in each year, and by the end of it all, he set the record for receiving yards (6,464) and touchdown receptions (73) for an FCS wide receiver. His receiving yards record smashed the previous mark held by Jerry Rice by about 2,000 yards, and his touchdown receptions record was 15 more than David Ball, who previously held the mark. As a junior, Kupp won the Walter Payton Award, which is handed out to the most valuable offensive player on a Division I FCS team.

When his college football career ended, Kupp participated in the Senior Bowl and eventually was selected in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams.

Although the Rams like Kupp’s potential—especially as a former college workhorse—they will most likely ease him into their team’s offense this year. They went out and got Sammy Watkins during camp to be their top wide receiver. Robert Woods should also be a dependable target for Rams quarterback Jared Goff, but he disappointed during the preseason, so Kupp will likely still be an impact player in the team’s offense in time.