Injuries limited the amount of games Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua got to play together in the last two years but when both were healthy, they gave the Los Angeles Rams one of the best wide receiver tandems in football. Nacua learned a lot from Kupp during their two seasons in Los Angeles, becoming close friends off the field, as well.
Kupp is now a member of the Seattle Seahawks and he has a new teammate who reminds him of an old one. During an interview on “Good Morning Football” this week, Kupp said Jaxon Smith-Njigba has similar traits to Nacua’s.
Their competitiveness and play strength both stand out to Kupp, which he believes are important attributes to have as a receiver.
“I think the first thing that struck me was he plays a lot stronger – and is a lot stronger – than people know about Jaxon,” Kupp said. “There’s a play strength that comes along with that being able to be on the field. His decisiveness and belief in himself in what he can do and then being able to go out there and just make it happen. Incredibly competitive and that’s one of those things as a receiver, you get into some positions where, ‘Hey, I’m in press or I’ve got a plan, boom, I hit my first move, hit my counter and it’s still not there.’ But the competitiveness to say, ‘I just know I’m not going to lose. I’m going to find a way to win. Jaxon has that. It’s similar to what Puka was like coming in, as well. The competitiveness and the play strength are both very similar.”
Nacua is one of the toughest and most physical receivers in the league, which is part of the reason he’s been injured as often as he has in the last two years. He puts his body on the line every single play, whether it’s laying out for a catch or blocking a defensive end on the line of scrimmage.
Smith-Njigba is a promising young receiver for the Seahawks and if he learns from Kupp the way Nacua did, the Seahawks will have a star on their hands.
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