Thus far, it’s been a super preseason for Rams receiver Cooper KuppBy RICH HAMMOND
THOUSAND OAKS — Yes, it’s just preseason. Before that, it was just OTAs. Before that, it was just the Big Sky Conference. At every turn, Cooper Kupp has faced doubters, and turned them around.
The stakes have reached their apex. Kupp, a former small-school standout at Eastern Washington, now is preparing for his NFL regular-season debut, and the Rams’ third-round draft pick seems ready, as always.
In two preseason games, Kupp has eight catches for 105 yards and one touchdown. Also, seven of Kupp’s eight catches have resulted in Rams first downs, and he seems to have carved out a role for himself as quarterback Jared Goff’s safety net on third down.
The preseason hype machine has been known to swallow up rookies, but Kupp gave an almost embarrassed laugh when asked if his level of preseason success caught him off guard.
“I wouldn’t say I’m surprising myself,” Kupp said after Monday’s practice at Cal Lutheran, “because I do have an expectation level, and I expect myself to perform well on the field. So I wouldn’t say that, but I would say that I’m around some really good football players and really good coaches, who put me in some good positions. I’ve just been fortunate to make some plays when they call my number.”
Read Complete Article
[
www.ocregister.com]
