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If there is one non-Los Angeles Rams coach in the NFL today who is much familiar with wideout Cooper Kupp’s development over the years, it sure is Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor.
Even though Taylor coached for a mere two seasons in the Rams organization, he spent plenty of time working with Kupp, including during his run as the team’s assistant wide receivers coach over the 2017 campaign.
In speaking during a press conference on Thursday, Taylor touched on Kupp’s growing prowess as an all-around receiving threat, where he also compared the fifth-year wideout to the 2021 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year favorite in Ja’Marr Chase.
Article Continues Below“He’s got change of direction,” Taylor said. “He’s got really good quickness. He never goes down on first contact. That’s one thing if you watch him. He never goes willingly out of bounds, never goes down on first contact. He’s really strong.
“He’s a lot like Ja’Marr in that way. I think they’re both very similar in their run after the catch. He understands the defense's approach. I always remember he had a lot of conversations with the DBs, what they were thinking, when I line up here, where do you think I’m gonna go? So he’s able to play off of a lot of the stuff that he knows the defense is approaching him with.”
For Taylor, it sure has not been a surprise to him to see Kupp emerge as one of the more potent receivers in the NFL today.
“He always had that in him,” Taylor said. “He’s one of the smartest players I’ve ever been around at any position. He really approaches the game like a quarterback.”
Kupp has been among the Rams' standout performers in the playoffs so far, which includes 25 receptions in three such games.
The biggest game of Kupp's career now awaits him in the Super Bowl 56 clash against the Cincinnati Bengals.
