Some NFL observers predict big things for former Eastern Washington receiver Cooper Kupp

The Cooper Kupp controversy is in full swing in Southern California.

That should surprise his many fans at Eastern Washington, where in five years the most audacious thing Kupp did was grow a beard.

But that was all in fun. The NFL is all business, including the serious business of predicting Kupp’s future before he even plays a down for the Los Angeles Rams.

The spotlight has shone brighter after the Rams picked Kupp in the third round of the NFL Draft. The reviews were positive, but now they border on gushing after Kupp performed well in rookie camp.

In a recent “bold predictions” segment on the NFL Network morning show, Good Morning Football’s Peter Schrager said Kupp will be the most prolific rookie wide receiver in the league this year.

“This is the cat that I’m excited for,” Schrager said. “I don’t care that he went in the third round, I don’t care that everyone’s ‘oohing’ and ‘aahing’ over Corey Davis and John Ross and Mike Williams and Zay Jones and JuJu and all these guys.”

“I’m going to even throw a number out there,” Schrager said. “I think he’s going to have 70 catches this year.”

That’s a big number, one that’s been reached by only 16 rookies in NFL history.

Schrager tries to back up his prediction by pointing out that Kupp will be the “perfect safety net” for second-year quarterback Jared Goff.

“He’s not gonna screw up that route. He’s gonna make the play,” Schrager says of Kupp, who will need to make a lot of them to hit 70 catches.

That won’t happen, writes Sosa Kremenjas of Turfshowtimes.com, a Rams social media and news website. Kremenjas points out that the Bleacherreport.com ranks the Rams receiving corps third-worst in the league post-draft.

That’s actually one spot better than last year, when the Rams finished just ahead of San Francisco. It doesn’t help that most experts rank the Rams quarterbacks – Goff and Sean Mannion – fourth-worst in the NFL.

Of the most recent players to get 70 receptions in their rookie season – Keenan Allen, Kelvin Benjamin, Amari Cooper, Jarvis Landry, Odell Beckham – all had proven “home run” ability before their first game.

In other words, Kremejas says, Kupp will have to prove he’s long-ball worthy to increase his time on the field.