Los Angeles Rams WR Cooper Kupp has been one of the most productive wide receivers in the NFL in recent seasons. He helped the Rams win Super Bowl LVI, earning MVP honors.
Prior to Kupp’s tremendous NFL success, where did he go to college? How did he fare at the collegiate level?
Cooper Kupp’s College Career
Kupp was born June 15, 1993, in Yakima, Washington. He was a two-sport at Davis High School, playing basketball and football. As a senior, Kupp recorded 60 catches for 1,059 yards and 22 total touchdowns.
Kupp isn’t the first NFL player in his family. His grandfather is former NFL offensive lineman Jake Kupp, and his father is former NFL quarterback Craig Kupp. The Kupp family have had three generations selected in the NFL Draft, just the fifth family in NFL history to accomplish that feat.
While Kupp was productive in high school, college coaches weren’t interested. Believe it or not, Kupp had just one offer (from Eastern Washington) when his high school career came to an end. Since he didn’t have many options, Kupp committed to Eastern Washington. Kupp spent five seasons with the Eagles, including his redshirt freshman year.
In the four seasons that he actually played, he racked up 428 catches for 6,464 yards and 73 touchdowns. In 2016, as a senior, he posted 117 receptions for 1,700 yards and 17 touchdowns. Kupp earned Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Year honors twice, and he was an FCS All-American four times.
After his college career came to an end, Kupp’s NFL dream became a reality when the Rams selected him in the third round (No. 69 overall) in the 2017 NFL Draft. He’s outplayed his draft slot, becoming one of the most productive receivers in the league. His best season came in 2021 when he caught 145 passes for 1947 yards and 16 touchdowns.
In addition to winning Super Bowl MVP, Kupp was named NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2021, when he was also named a First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowler. He led the NFL in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns that season. He holds the NFL record for most yards from scrimmage by a wide receiver in a single season.