(PHOTO AND STORY: GOEAGS.COM)
After setting an abundance of records for the Eastern Washington University football team, Cooper Kupp has even made some history in his own family.
The sensational wide receiver officially became a third-generation player from his family to make it to the National Football League when the Los Angeles Rams picked him in the third round with the 69th pick overall in the NFL Draft on Friday (April 28) in Philadelphia, Pa.
Kupp was the seventh receiver taken in the draft, which saw three receivers get chosen among in the top nine picks in Thursday's first round.
"We congratulate Cooper Kupp," said Eastern head coach Aaron Best. "Everything he's accomplished he's earned, and he's earned the right to play in the NFL. His former staff and teammates, and all the Eastern fans out there, are rooting for him 100 percent. We're excited for him and know he has better things to come."
A four-time All-American and two-time FCS Player of the Year for the Eagles, Kupp became the second-highest choice in school history, ranking only behind former 10-year NFL veteran offensive lineman Michael Roos. Roos was the 41st pick overall in the 2005 draft overall when he was taken in the second round by Tennessee, where he spent his entire career.
Within his own family, he bested the fifth round of his father, Craig Kupp, who was drafted 135th overall by the New York Giants out of Pacific Lutheran University. Craig's father, Jake, played at Washington and was drafted in the ninth round (116th overall) by the Dallas Cowboys in the 1964 NFL Draft before going on to a Hall of Fame career with the New Orleans Saints.
The Kupp trio is the fifth three-generation NFL family, and only the third family to have three generations selected in the NFL Draft.
The Rams were 4-12 in 2016, finishing third in the NFC West. The Rams play at the Seattle Seahawks on Dec. 17, after taking on Seattle Oct. 8 in L.A. The team's quarterback is former Cal standout Jared Goff, and among the other wide receivers on their roster are Tavon Austin, who caught 58 passes for 509 yards and three touchdowns in 2016. The team's leading receiver from a year ago, Kenny Britt, is now with the Cleveland Browns.
Kupp was twice the Offensive MVP of the Big Sky Conference and earned first team All-BSC honors all four seasons as an Eagle. He the 2015 winner of the FCS Offensive Player of the Year by both STATS and the FCS Athletic Director's Association (he repeated as winner of that award in 2016), and he was also presented the 2015 Walter Payton Award as selected by Mickey Charles LLC. In 2016, he was runner-up for the Payton Award, now presented by STATS. He also earned Academic All-America honors three times, and won the Jerry Rice Award in 2013 presented to the top freshman in FCS.
He established 15 FCS, 11 Big Sky and 26 EWU records in his illustrious 52-game Eastern career, and added a collegiate all-division mark. With a pair of early catches in the first quarter against Richmond on Dec. 10, he surpassed the NAIA record of 6,177 by Chris George of Glenville State from 1991-94 after surpassing NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision, NCAA Division II and NCAA Division III records earlier in the 2016 season.
His 6,464 yards, 428 receptions, 73 touchdown catches, 124.3 average yards per game and 1.40 average TDs per game were all FCS records. Kupp averaged a TD reception for every 5.9 catches in his career. He scored at least once in 43 of 52 games he played, and caught at least two passes in every game he played. He had 30 performances of at least eight catches (16 with 10 or more) and a FCS record of 31 with at least 100 receiving yards. More importantly, Kupp led EWU to 41 victories overall in four seasons – 28-4 in the Big Sky Conference -- and five wins in the FCS Playoffs. Eastern advanced to the semifinals in 2016 and 2013, and the quarterfinals in 2014.
Two more former Eagles, Samson Ebukam and wide receiver Kendrick Bourne are also expected to be drafted or sign free agent contracts with NFL teams. Rounds 4-7 begin on April 29 at 9 a.m. ESPN, ESPN2 and the NFL Network will all provide coverage, and it will be streamed via NFL.com.
Kupp is the 17th player in school history to be drafted, dating back to Dick Nearants in the 18th round in 1959 by Green Bay. Besides Roos and Kupp, EWU's next-highest choices were fourth-round choices Taiwan Jones as a running back by Oakland in 2011 (125th overall) and safety Matt Johnson by Dallas in 2012 (135th overall). Eastern's top wide receiver drafted was Bob Picard in the sixth round by Philadelphia in 1973 (132nd overall) and EWU's last draftee was offensive tackle Jake Rodgers in the seventh round by Atlanta in 2015.
Kupp is the 17th player in school history to be drafted, dating back to Dick Nearants in the 18th round in 1959 by Green Bay. Besides Roos and Kupp, EWU's next-highest choices were fourth-round choices Taiwan Jones as a running back by Oakland in 2011 (125th overall) and safety Matt Johnson by Dallas in 2012 (135th overall). Eastern's top wide receiver drafted was Bob Picard in the sixth round by Philadelphia in 1973 (132nd overall) and EWU's last draftee was offensive tackle Jake Rodgers in the seventh round by Atlanta in 2015.
Kupp ran a 4.56 time in the 40-yard dash to improve his time of 4.62 at the Combine. He also improved his 3-cone drill to 6.53, which would have been the top time at the Combine. He had the ninth-fastest at the Combine at 6.75 seconds, while his 20-yard shuttle time of 4.08 was the fifth-best.
Bourne also improved his 40 time from 4.68 at the Combine to 4.53 at Pro Day, and his vertical jump by two inches to 36. He even hit double-figures in the bench press, lifting 225 pounds 10 times.
At just shy of 6-foot-2 and weighing in at 240 pounds, Ebukam had impressive Pro Day numbers to go along with his imposing size. His vertical jump of 39 inches, broad jump of 10'10" and 40 time of 4.45 were eye-opening. He bench-pressed 225 pounds 24 times.
Eastern Washington University's NFL Draft Choices (17)
Cooper Kupp – Wide Receiver – Letter Winner at EWU 2013-14-15-16Drafted in the 3rd round (69th overall) by the Los Angeles Rams in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Michael Roos – Offensive Tackle – Letter Winner at EWU 2001-02-03-04Drafted in the 2nd round (41st overall) by the Tennessee Titans in the 2005 NFL Draft.
Taiwan Jones – Running Back – 2008-09-10Drafted in the 4th round (125th overall) by the Oakland Raiders in the 2011 NFL Draft.
Matt Johnson – Safety – 2008-09-10-11Drafted in the 4th round (135th overall) by Dallas in the 2012 NFL Draft.
Tom Ackerman – Offensive Guard – 1992-93-94-95Drafted in the 5th round (145th overall) by New Orleans in the 1996 NFL Draft.
Dan Curley – Tight End – 1998-99-00-02Drafted in the 5th round (148th overall) by St. Louis in the 2003 NFL Draft.
Trent Pollard – Offensive Tackle – 1990-91-92-93Drafted in the 5th round (132nd pick overall) by Cincinnati in the 1994 NFL Draft.
Bob Picard – Wide Receiver – 1968-69-71-72Drafted in the 6th round (132nd pick overall) by Philadelphia in the 1973 NFL Draft.
Jeff Mickel – Offensive Tackle – 1985-86-87-88Drafted in the 6th round (163rd pick overall) by Minnesota in the 1989 NFL Draft.
Ed Simmons – Offensive Tackle – 1983-84-85-86Drafted in the 6th round (164th pick overall) by Washington in the 1987 NFL Draft.
Lamont Brightful – Wide Receiver/Returner – 1998-99-00-01Drafted in the 6th round (195th overall) by Baltimore in the 2002 NFL Draft. S
cott Garske – Tight End – 1971-72-73Drafted in the 7th round (179th pick overall) by Pittsburgh in the 1974 NFL Draft.
Kurt Schulz – Defensive Back – 1988-89-90-91Drafted in the 7th round (195th pick overall) by Buffalo in the 1992 NFL Draft.
Jake Rodgers – Offensive Tackle – 2013-14Drafted in the 7th round (225th pick overall) by Atlanta in the 2015 NFL Draft.
Dave Svendsen – Wide Receiver – 1966-67-68Drafted in the 11th round (281st pick overall) by Los Angeles in the 1969 NFL Draft.
Craig Richardson – Wide Receiver – 1983-84-85-86Drafted in the 11th round (298th pick overall) by Kansas City in the 1987 NFL Draft.
Dick Nearents – Tackle – 1956-57-58Drafted in the 18th round (205th pick overall) by Green Bay in the 1959 NFL Draft.
A Little 1990 NFL Draft History That Indirectly Involves the Eagles
Noted NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper uncovered a couple of interesting facts recently during the 2016 EWU Football season regarding the 1990 NFL Draft. After finishing his record-breaking career as a quarterback at Cal, 2016 EWU quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator Troy Taylor was drafted in the fourth round (84th pick overall) by the New York Jets. He was chosen 51 picks before quarterback Craig Kupp was drafted in the fifth round (135th overall) by the New York Giants out of Pacific Lutheran University. Craig is the father of EWU players Cooper and Ketner Kupp. Craig's father, Jake, played at Washington and was drafted in the ninth round (116th overall) by the Dallas Cowboys in the 1964 NFL Draft before going on to a Hall of Fame career with the New Orleans Saints.
Other quarterbacks taken in the 1990 draft were Idaho's John Friesz (sixth round by San Diego, 140th pick overall), and Cary Conklin out of Washington Yakima's Eisenhower High School (fourth round by Washington, 86th pick overall). The Kupp brothers played at Eisenhower rival Davis High School in Yakima, Craig played at nearby Selah High School and Jake was originally from nearby Sunnyside. Friesz was a standout at Coeur d'Alene High School prior to winning the Payton Award while at Idaho. Cooper Kupp won the 2015 Payton Award. Six players from Washington State and five from Washington were taken in the 12 rounds of the 1990 draft.