Cooper Kupp had one of the greatest college careers from a wide receiver in FCS history. Starting with his true freshman season, Kupp dominated the competition setting school, conference and FCS records. He won the top FCS offensive honor, the Walter Payton Award in 2015 to go along with his 30 career first-team All-American honors.
Here's everything you need to know about Cooper Kupp’s college career.
The vitals on Cooper Kupp
School: Eastern Washington
Position: Wide Receiver
Height: 6-2
Weight: 208 pounds
Years active: 2013-2016
Here are Cooper Kupp’s career stats in college.
| Year | games | Receptions | Rec/G | Yards | YD/REC | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 15 | 93 | 6.2 | 1,691 | 18.2 | 21 |
| 2014 | 13 | 104 | 8.0 | 1,431 | 13.8 | 16 |
| 2015 | 11 | 114 | 10.4 | 1,642 | 14.4 | 19 |
| 2016 | 13 | 117 | 9.0 | 1,700 | 14.5 | 17 |
| Career | 52 | 428 | 8.2 | 6,464 | 15.1 | 73 |
Where did Cooper Kupp go to college?
Cooper Kupp, a native of Yakima, Washington, attended Eastern Washington. Per 247Sports, Kupp signed with Eastern Washington over an offer from Idaho State.
What kind of prospect was Cooper Kupp in high school?
Kupp was a two-sport athlete in football and basketball at Davis High School. In basketball, Kupp won the State 4A Tournament championship during his senior year. On the gridiron, he was an unanimous first-team All-Columbia Basin Big Nine League wide receiver and defensive back, setting a school record with 22 total touchdowns.
👀 COLLEGE CAREERS OF NFL STARS
2023 NFL Draft QBs: Bryce Young | C.J. Stroud | Will Levis | Anthony Richardson | Hendon Hooker
2023 NFL Draft Off. Skill: Jaxon Smith-Njigba | Jordan Addison | Quentin Johnston | Zay Flowers | Bijan Robinson
2023 NFL Draft DL: Jalen Carter | Will Anderson Jr. | Myles Murphy | Tyree Wilson
2023 NFL Draft FCS: Tucker Kraft | Andrei Iosivas | Hunter Luepke
2022 NFL Draft: Christian Watson | Brock Purdy | Bailey Zappe | Skylar Thompson | Isiah Pacheco
2021 NFL Draft: Trevor Lawrence | Trey Lance | Ja'Marr Chase | Justin Fields | Mac Jones | DeVonta Smith
2020 NFL Draft: Joe Burrow | Tua Tagovailoa | Tee Higgins | Jalen Hurts
2019 NFL Draft: Kyler Murray | Deebo Samuel | Gardner Minshew II | Miles Sanders | A.J. Brown
2018 NFL Draft: Lamar Jackson | Baker Mayfield | Josh Allen | Darius Leonard
2017 NFL Draft: Patrick Mahomes | Deshaun Watson | Cooper Kupp |
Juju Smith-Schuster | Haason Reddick
2016 NFL Draft: Carson Wentz | Jalen Ramsey | Chris Jones
2014 NFL Draft: Aaron Donald | Odell Beckham Jr. | Khalil Mack | Jerick McKinnon
FCS alums: Jimmy Garoppolo | Taylor Heinicke
Legends: Tom Brady | Jackie Robinson | Deion Sanders | Cam Newton
More: Matthew Stafford | Travis Kelce
What was Cooper Kupp's record in college?
In the 52 games Kupp played in college, Eastern Washington won 41 games going 28-4 in the Big Sky. Kupp’s Eagles won three Big Sky titles, making the FCS Playoffs during his freshmen, sophomore and senior season.
Records set by Cooper Kupp
Here are some of the notable records and statistical rankings set by Kupp in college:
College football records
- 1st in college football all-division career receiving yards: 6,464 yards
FCS records
- 1st in FCS career receiving touchdowns: 73 touchdowns
- 1st in FCS career receptions: 428 receptions
- 1st in FCS career receiving yards per game: 124.3 yards
- 1st in FCS average TDs per game: 1.40 touchdowns
- 1st in FCS games with at least 100 receiving yards: 31 games
- 1st in FCS career points: 395 points
- 1st in FCS consecutive games with a reception: 52 games
- 6th in FCS single-season pass receptions: 107 receptions in 2016
- 4th in FCS single-season receiving yards: 1,700 in 2016
Big Sky records
- 1st in Big Sky career total touchdowns: 77 touchdowns
- 1st in Big Sky single-season receptions: 117 receptions
- 1st in Big Sky career receptions per game: 8.23 receptions
Eastern Washington records
- 1st in Eastern Washington single-game receptions: 20 receptions
- 1st in Eastern Washington career all-purpose yards: 7,038 yards
- 1st in Eastern Washington career punt return touchdowns: 3 touchdowns
FCS freshman records
- 1st in FCS freshman receptions: 93 receptions
- 1st in FCS freshman receiving yards: 1,691 yards
- 1st in FCS freshman receiving touchdowns: 21 touchdowns
RECORDS: 7 of the most unbreakable records in FCS football history
What were some of Cooper Kupp's best games in college?
Here are some of Kupp's most notable performances in college:
Eastern Washington 42, No. 14 Cal Poly 41 | Nov. 5, 2016
- Eight receptions, 140 yards, three touchdowns
Eastern Washington 45, Washington State 42 | Sept. 3, 2016
- 12 receptions, 206 yards, three touchdowns
Eastern Washington 43, Northern Colorado 41 | Oct. 24, 2015
- 20 receptions, 275 yards, three touchdowns
Eastern Washington 45, Idaho State 28 | Oct. 17, 2015
- 14 receptions, 161 receiving yards, two receiving touchdowns, one punt return touchdown, one 24-yard passing touchdown.
Oregon 61, Eastern Washington 42 | Sept. 5, 2015
- 15 receptions, 246 yards, three touchdowns
Washington 59, Eastern Washington 52 | Sept. 6, 2014
- Eight receptions, 145 yards, three touchdowns
FCS Playoff Quarterfinals: Illinois State 59, Eastern Washington 46 | Dec. 13, 2014
- 10 receptions, 185 yards, two touchdowns
Eastern Washington 42, No. 10 Montana 37 | Oct. 26, 2013
- 11 receptions, 182 yards and two touchdowns
Eastern Washington 49, No. 25 (FBS) Oregon State 46 | Aug. 31, 2013
- Five receptions, 119 yards, two touchdowns (Kupp’s first college game)
ALL-TIME UPSETS: See every FCS-over-FBS upset here
What awards did Cooper Kupp win in college?
Here are the awards and honors Kupp won in college:
- 2013 Jerry Rice Award (2013)
- Big Sky Conference Freshman of the Year (2013)
- Phil Steel first-team freshman All-American (2013)
- WCFF first-team FCS All-American (2013, 2015-16)
- 2x Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Year (2015-16)
- 4x First-team All-Big Sky Conference Wide Receiver (2013-16)
- Second-team All-Big Sky Conference Punt Returner (2016)
- Third-team All-Big Sky Conference Punt Returner (2014)
- 4x Consensus (AFCA, AP, STATS) FCS All-American (2013-16)
- 2x First-team Division I Academic All-American (2015-16)
- Second-team Division I Academic All-American (2014)
- Walter Payton Award (2015)
- FCS Athletic Director’s Association Offensive Player of the Year (2016)
AWARDS: Walter Payton Award: Complete history of the FCS honor
What did people say about Cooper Kupp?
Eastern Washington head coach Beau Baldwin, on Kupp’s senior season: “What he is doing is phenomenal, especially considering how productive he can be when everybody knows he's going to get balls thrown his way ... He has a competitiveness, will and desire to chase perfection.”
Baldwin on Kupp’s record-breaking day at Northern Colorado in 2015: “You become so numb to it that you don’t realize how special it is. In the game you know he is getting a lot of touches, but the next thing you know you see 20 for 275. It’s a number you just never expect to see next to a receiver...He has all the tools as not just a football player, but as a human. We’re just lucky and enjoying every day we get to spend with him. It’s something special.”
Former Oregon secondary coach John Neal before a 2015 game: “He’s Superman. He’s one of those players that when you watch him, he’s in complete command of everything.”
