Cooper Kupp

A no-star recruit out of high school, Kupp did whatever he could to attract attention from FBS-level schools like Washington and Washington State, but went overlooked and received only two scholarship offers (both FCS), committing to Eastern Washington over Idaho State. After redshirting in 2012, he earned a starting job in 2013 and won the Jerry Rice Award as the top FCS freshman with 93 catches, 1,691 receiving yards and a career-best 21 touchdown receptions. Kupp started 13 games in 2014 as a sophomore and posted 104 catches for 1,431 yards and 16 touchdowns, earning consensus All-American and All-Big Sky honors. He set new career-bests as a junior with 114 receptions for 1,642 receiving yards and 19 receiving grabs, cleaning up the accolades once again, including the FCS Offensive Player of the Year. Kupp flirted with leaving early for the NFL, but ultimately returned to school and saved his best for 2016. Despite missing some playing time due to injury as a senior, he set new Big Sky records for receptions (117) and receiving yards (1,700) over his 13 starts and once again earned consensus All-American honors and the FCS Offensive Player of the Year award. The most prolific wide receiver in FCS history, Kupp lined up both inside and outside in EWU's spread scheme, doing much of his damage from the slot where he could manipulate the entire field. Kupp is a better football player than athlete and makes up for his lack of dynamic traits with technically sound routes, ballskills to catch everything thrown in his direction and the competitive drive needed for the NFL, playing with the mentality that he can't be covered. Although he doesn't have intimidating size or speed, Kupp has the innate feel for the position and savvy skills that will fit in any NFL scheme, projecting best in the slot.

strengths

Adequate height and length for the position. Gliding straight-line athlete. Crafty route runner, setting up defenders and using hesitation to create spacing. Clearly leans on his technique and trusts it. Sticky hands with the natural coordination to pluck the ball. Excellent awareness at the catch point and doesn't need to gear down to assess his surroundings after the catch. At his best on in-cutting and post routes to manipulate space in the middle of the field. Not shy about using his abusive stiff arm to pick up extra yards, refusing to concede as a ballcarrier. Capable of the big play with 37 receiving plays in his career of at least 40 yards. Clean off the field with excellent work habits. Four-year starter and four-time consensus FCS All-American. NFL bloodlines -- father (Craig) was a quarterback and fifth round pick of the New York Giants in the 1990 NFL Draft, also playing for the Phoenix Cardinals and Dallas Cowboys; grandfather (Jake) was an offensive guard and ninth round pick in the 1964 NFL Draft of the Dallas Cowboys, playing 12 seasons in the NFL, mostly for the New Orleans Saints where he was a five-time team captain. Performed exceptionally well vs. better programs with 40 catches for 716 yards and 11 touchdowns in four career games vs. Pac-12 competition. Holds the NCAA all-division record for receiving yards (6,464) and holds 15 FCS receiving records, including 428 catches and 73 receiving touchdowns in his career.

weaknesses

Marginal long-speed and lacks explosive twitch in his patterns. Relies more on timing/nuance than burst to create separation mid-route. Won't consistently make NFL defenders miss in space. Unthreatening body type and build for the position. Holds the ball too loose from his body, inviting defenders to force turnovers. Needs to improve his hand use to beat press and unglue himself at the top of routes. Missed playing time as a senior due to sprained AC joints in both shoulders (Sept. 2016). Thrived against lesser competition over his career at the FCS-level.

Graduated from Davis HS in 2012. A two-way All-State selection, he earned first team 4A All-State honors as a defensive back and honorable mention accolades as a wide receiver from Associated Press as selected by sportswriters and broadcasters. Named by the Seattle Times as a "White Chip" selection as one of the top 100 prospects in the state of Washington. Also selected among "others to watch" on Ron Siegel's pre-season All-State team (seniors only). Was a unanimous first team All-Columbia Basin Big Nine League wide receiver and defensive back at Davis. He finished his senior season with 60 receptions for 1,059 yards (17.7 per catch) and 18 touchdowns, and scored 22 total touchdowns to set a school record. He also had 11 rushes for 122 yards and two touchdowns as he helped Davis come one game away from a berth in the State 4A Playoffs. Davis finished 6-4 for the second straight year, giving the program back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1968-69. Kupp's career came to an end in a 68-22 playoff loss to Mead, as Kupp finished with six catches for 87 yards. But he also filled in at quarterback because of an injury to Davis' starter, and was 5-of-10 for 76 yards. A three-year starter, Kupp had 31 catches for 811 yards (26.2 per catch) and seven touchdowns as a junior to earn first team All-CBBN honors. With 19 catches for 230 yards as a sophomore, he finished his career with 110 catches for 2,100 yards. Also a three-year letter winner in basketball, the Pirates finished 23-2 and won the State 4A Tournament championship with a 48-42 title game victory over Central Valley. Kupp scored seven points and had five rebounds in that game, and four points, three rebounds and a pair of steals in a come-from-behind 52-46 win over Bellarmine Prep in the semifinals. In the quarterfinals, a 79-45 romp over Bothell, Kupp scored 19 points with four rebounds and five assists. The Pirates held their opponents to less than 50 points in all six of their postseason games. Kupp was a 4.0 honors student at Davis.

Economics major with a 3.62 grade point average. He is nearing completion on his degree with a minor in business administration, but will continue studies in those areas through fall quarter of 2016. Born 6/15/93 in Yakima, Wash. His parents are Craig and Karin Kupp, who were both inducted into the Pacific Lutheran University Hall of Fame in 2003. Karin (formerly Karin Gilmer) was a soccer player and Craig played football. Craig, who graduated from Selah (Wash.) High School, was a fifth-round draft pick by the New York Giants in 1990 and played in 1991 for the Phoenix Cardinals and the Dallas Cowboys. Cooper's great-uncle, Jeff Kupp, lettered as an offensive lineman at Eastern from 1982-84 during EWU's transition from NAIA to the FCS (then known as I-AA). Cooper's grandfather, Jake Kupp, was an offensive lineman for the University of Washington and was drafted in the ninth round of the 1964 NFL draft by the Dallas Cowboys. He played from 1964-75 as a guard with Dallas, the Washington Redskins, Atlanta Falcons and the New Orleans Saints. Named to the NFL All-Rookie team, he later was a five-time captain for the Saints. He was named to the franchise's 25-year All-Time Team and was inducted into its Hall of Fame in 1991, the same year that Craig played in the NFL. And Karin's father, Tom Gilmer, is also a member of the PLU Hall of Fame as a Lute quarterback and record-setting punter in the late 1950's. He is also in the Tacoma-Pierce County Sports Hall of Fame after also serving as the long-time football coach for Washington High School in Tacoma. Cooper's parents went to Philadelphia, Pa., on Dec. 16, 2013, to accept the Jerry Rice Award on behalf of Cooper while the team prepared for its semifinal matchup in the FCS Playoffs against Towson. They also were on hand - as well as both sets of his grandparents and his wife and her parents - when he was awarded the FCS Offensive Player of the Year Award at the STATS FCS Awards Banquet and Presentations. In Frisco, Texas, on Jan. 8, 2016.