Even though Cooper Kupp put together one of the best seasons ever by a wide receiver in 2021, there’s still plenty of debate about whether he’s the top wideout in the NFL. That’s not a knock on Kupp’s game, but rather an indication of just how much talent there is at the position right now.
Kupp is undoubtedly among the best receivers in the league, but where does he rank in the eyes of coaches, players and executives? ESPN tried to find out, polling a collection of people within the NFL and having them rank the current crop of wideouts.
Kupp came in at No. 2 on the list, behind only Davante Adams of the Raiders. Kupp did receive at least one first-place vote, and his lowest ranking was fifth. Last year, he was only an honorable mention, so this is quite the jump for the Rams receiver.
The triple crown winner caught 145 passes for 1,947 yards and 16 touchdowns last season, leading the league in every category. And one high-ranking NFL official put his game perfectly.
“Just a natural football player — instincts, nuance, quickness,” a high-ranking NFL official said. “Born to play the receiver position.”
One offensive coach isn’t so sure that Kupp could thrive the way he does outside the Rams’ system. This coach seems to believe Kupp is a product of Sean McVay’s offense, saying there are other receivers they would take over Kupp.
“I love him, but if I’m drafting pure receivers to dictate coverage and handle any scheme and win matchups, other receivers offer more flexibility,” an NFL offensive coach said. “He’s a byproduct of that [Rams] scheme a little bit.”
It’ll be tough for Kupp to match the season he had in 2021, making history in several ways. His goal isn’t to put up better numbers, but simply to become a better football player – even if the stats don’t reflect it.
If he follows up that 1,947-yard season with another year of 1,800-plus yards, there probably won’t be much debate about who the best receiver is next year.
