Cooper Kupp Scouting Report ~ 2017 NFL Draft

* 05/13/17 Update ~ Unchanged ~ SuperBeast!! *

Flanker ~ Cooper Kupp ~ Eastern Washington Eagles ~ 6016/204

Hah!! Tell me that isn't the Best Shot Ever!!

Regarding Flankers

Most Fans don't know that WideOuts can generally be broken down into 3 Categories, based on traditional Roles, and that those Roles naturally enough call for 3 distinctive Skill Sets, based on the classic X, Y, and Z Positions:

Split Ends are usually the bigger, taller WideOuts who line up in the X Position, on the Line of Scrimmage.
SlotBacks are usually the quicker, smaller WideOuts who line up at the Y Position, off the Line.
FlankerBacks are usually the faster WideOuts who line up at the Z Position, off the Line.

The Split End prototype would be about 6030/225 or so.
The Flanker prototype would be about 6000/200 or so.
The SlotBack prototype would be about 5010/195 or so.

And I'm adding a 4th: The Slot End.

The term may make some Readers cringe, for the same reason that the term "Jumbo Shrimp" might.

And it's a term, as far as I know, entirely of my own Invention.

But it is of course the perfect Tactical term for a WideOut lined up in the Slot yet on the Line of Scrimmage.

And it strikes me as an excellent term to describe a WideOut who's not necessarily tall ~ like a Split End ~ not necessarily fast ~ like a FlankerBack ~ and not necessarily spry ~ like a SlotBack ~ and is often a bit Beefy. Not necessarily beefy enough to take on a Flex End's Blocking Responsibilites, but beefy enough for a Split End's.

I'm talking about WideOuts who're well suited to catch Balls in Traffic, and Move The Chains.

However a given Coach chooses to deploy the Soldiers at his disposal is of course entirely up to him, and most WideOuts will see Snaps at multiple Positions and in multiple Alignments, but I believe that it is valuable to categorize WideOuts in terms of classic Skill Sets, to better define the differences in the kind of Impact they might wield at the next level.

This is how I break things down when I'm evaluating all WideOuts:

Separation: Getting Open. This encompasses Combat Skills & Fluidity to beat Press, Acceleration out'f the Blocks, Fluidity and Ricochet in navigating Traffic, Route Running Precision, the capacity to deceive Defenders, and Field Vision for Timing Seems and Open Zones. All other Aspects of a WideOut's Job Description are dwarfed by this one.

Catch Point Capacity: In Transit or Contested: Hands, WingSpan, Vertical Agility, Combat Skills, and Timing.

Yards After Catch are well and fine, but it seems to me that 90% of the Value of a Flex End and any WideOut is getting open and catching the Ball. Anyone who's read my Work extensively knows that I consider Blocking to be the Heart & Soul of FootBall, but that is a philosophical position, and I recognize that with most Philosophies, where it comes to Wide Receivers and Flex Ends...it's just Gravy. And so is Yards After Catch: Moving The Chains is What Wins.

Chunk Yardage: An highly overrated Aspect of the Game, I believe, so much so that in fact I didn't even include it in 2016. It is not a negligible Aspect of the Game, so I'm bringing it back, but getting open, catching the Ball, and Moving the Chains are far more crucial to a Team's Success, I believe, than making Splash Plays and getting on ESPN HighLights Reels. Power, Fluidity, Ricochet, Speed, Combat Skills, and Processing Speed/Field Vision all play into Chunk Yardage.

Blocking: It was a Mistake to leave this Aspect ~ my very favorite Aspect of FootBall ~ out'f 2016's Flex End Reports, and I'm very happy to correct that Mistake, evermore. Blocking of course comes down to Power, Agility, Frame, Combat Skills, Processing Speed, and Motor, and further breaks down into In Line Blocking and Open Field Blocking.

Broken down into SubCategories, it'd go something like this:

Separation

* Combat Skills
* Fluidity
* Acceleration
* Ricochet
* Routing
* Deception
* Field Vision

Catch Point Capacity
Catch Point Capacity
* Timing
* Combat Skills
* Vertical Agility
* Hands
* WingSpan

Chunk Yardage

* Power
* Fluidity
* Ricochet
* Speed
* Combat Skills
* Field Vision

Blocking

* Power
* Agility
* Frame
* Combat Skills
* Processing Speed
* Motor

Cooper Kupp ~ Scouting Report

Separation: Extraordinary.

Kupp's Acceleration and his Speed are moderate. He's not gonna outrun too many Defenders, so while he could certainly handle Flanker at the next level ~ or Split End or SlotBack, quite easily ~ I believe that he profiles best at Slot End, as I consider'm not quite tall enough or beefy enough to play Split End, and while he's undoubtedly agile enough to play SlotBack, where he was deployed most often in the Games that I watched, he fits even better at Slot End.

Kupp's Combat Skills are tremendous, and he beats Press Coverage routinely.

And while his Acceleration and Speed are ordinary, his Ricochet out'f'is Breaks and his Fluidity are tremendous. And that is far more crucial to Success, as they will enable'm to Get Open far more often than Straight Line Speed would.

Most impressively, though, is Kupp's ability to rapidly read and effectively react to the Tactical LandScape, after the Ball is snapped, for it is simply phenomenal. Kupp's capacity to consistently anticipate Seems and Open Zones against Man Coverage and Zone is astonishing, and his Route Running Repertoire is incredibly impressive.

Catch Point Capacity: Awesome.

Kupp hits high notes in every Aspect. His Timing and Trajectory, both In Transition and on Contested Catches, is amazing, his Combat Skills on Contested Catches are phenomenal, and his Hands are magnificent.

Chunk Yardage: Impressive.

His Speed is of course simply adequate, and that may be overstating it, as I've been viewing him playing Division 6 Defenders, or wherever it is that the Eagles play: I'll await his Combine Numbers in that regard.

But his Power is excellent, his Fluidity and Ricochet are tremendous, and his Field Vision is awesome.

Blocking: Impressive. Good, consistent Effort, and excellent Combat Skills.

Cooper Kupp ~ Prospectus

Sweet Lord, what an easy Scouting Report to write...and what a Blast, to do so!!

Yeah, I don't give a Rat's Ass that Cooper Kupp played Division 12 FootBall, or whatever it is.

Nor give I care much that his Acceleration and Speed appear to be average, at best. Straight Line Speed is important, to be certain, but I believe that the capacity to change directions explosively or smoothly dwarfs the Importance of Straight Line Speed when navigating the Field of Battle, and Kupp possesses those Talents in abundance.

Even more important, from my perspective, is that it is overwhelmingly obvious that Cooper Kupp has been busting his Ass for Years to learn, and indeed to master, every single Aspect of FootBall that he possibly could.

And Brother? That Time has been well invested, indeed.

While watching Cooper Kupp indiscriminately rain Hell on his Division 47 Opponents, it was patently obvious that, Fast or not, he has plenty of Power and Agility, an excellent Frame, and, above all, Oceans of Intelligence and Drive.

That's right, baby!! For me, it's all about Trajectory!!

"Trajectory > A Philosophical Formula that calculates a Prospect's Potential & Risk, based on perceptions of Talent, Intelligence, Passion, and Work Ethic: Talent x Intelligence x Drive = Potential/Risk."

Cooper Kupp, Ladies & Laddies!!

Pay the man.

Grateful Thanks, as always, for the crucial Work done by the folks at Draft BreakDown!!

Yank Rank: SuperBeast ~ Blue Chip

Beast Bargain!!

Market Value

2nd/3rd Round

Yankee Grade

Top 10!!

Please do Note: This and all Evaluations issued by this Site are produced by a ludicrously unqualified Amateur, privy to not even the tiniest fraction of Coach's Tape, Scouting Expertise, Face to Face Interviewing, Experience, or Inside Information enjoyed by the Professionals. As such, anything put forth is certainly misinformed, euphonious, derivative Tripe, and should be rejected out'f hand and indeed shunned by all men and women of Good Will!! I'm trying to discern Power, Agility, Combat Skills, and far more abstract, esoteric Concepts such as Processing Speed and Motor, and I'm trying to do so based almost entirely on a fascinating fusion of Tape, Combine Numbers, and Pro Days, while trying to attenuate my findings based on Allowances for Competition Level, Scheme, Concept, Context, and, above all: Trajectory!!

None of this is even remotely a Complaint, mind you, but rather a Warning!! Caveat Emptor!!