Bengals coach Zac Taylor spent two years with the Los Angeles Rams on Sean McVay’s staff in 2017 and 2018, first as an assistant wide receivers coach and then as the quarterbacks coach. He worked closely with Cooper Kupp during his time in L.A. and now he’ll get to coach Ja’Marr Chase, the star rookie out of LSU who was the first receiver drafted this year.
On the “Flying Coach” podcast with Sean McVay and Peter Schrager, Taylor interestingly drew a couple comparisons between Kupp and Chase, which wasn’t necessarily expected given their different playing styles and athletic profiles.
“Playmaker is the first word you use,” he said of Chase. “And it’s not just outside as an X-receiver down the field making 50-50 contested plays. This guy’s got a great understanding of the nuances of route running. He’s patient. He’s got really strong hands. His lower body is similar to a running back. I mean, he’s six feet, 207. Similar to Cooper Kupp in the sense that he’s got unbelievable body control. He’s running full speed but when he judges where the ball is at, he can shut his body down and have that great control to have that great run after the catch to maximize it. Oh yeah, and is hard to bring down on first contact just like Cooper. He usually makes that first guy miss or pulls through the tackle and then he’s got the top-end speed.”
Kupp doesn’t have great speed and isn’t the most explosive athlete, but he does have great body control, strong hands and is excellent after the catch, as Taylor mentioned. Kupp finished sixth in the NFL last season with 525 yards after the catch, showing his elusiveness.
Chase could go on to win Rookie of the Year, but Kupp is a great player in his own right and each player should be flattered by these comparisons from Taylor.