The Los Angeles Rams have announced that they are looking to trade superstar WR Cooper Kupp. Kupp has been a staple in LA since the Rams drafted him out of Eastern Washington in 2017.
While it may seem like a bad move for the Rams, the good news is that Kupp is an aging WR, and there is a pretty underrated receiver class in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Potential Cooper Kupp Replacements in the 2025 NFL Draft
It’s hard to replace someone who has been as productive as Kupp has in the league, but there are some absolute dogs at the wide receiver position in this draft class that the Rams could target.
They hold the 26th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, so here are five guys that they can look to target with that pick.
1) Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State Buckeyes
Emeka Egbuka is a top-three wideout in this class and would fit the Rams’ offense very well. Egbuka has positional versatility, meaning he can play both outside and in the slot for an NFL offense.
Egbuka was very productive in his career at Ohio State, finishing his senior season with 81 catches for 1,011 yards and 10 TDs. He’s a smooth route runner who gets in and out his breaks well, with great hands and good YAC ability to boot.
If Egbuka falls to the Rams at No. 26, he would be an instant starter who could line up anywhere in Sean Mcvay’s offense.
2) Luther Burden, Missouri Tigers
Luther Burden is a guy who has around a 15-pick range on where he could land as of right now. There are several mocks with Burden in the top 10, and others have him getting picked around the mid-20s. If he fell to the Rams, he would be a gem in McVay’s offense.
Burden had a fantastic college career. In three seasons, he had 192 catches for 2,263 yards and 21 TDs. Burden’s after-catch ability is one of the best in this class, and he is a weapon with the ball in his hands.
Burden would fit very well in LA and is a player who is pretty similar to Kupp, although Burden is more of an athlete.
3) Xavier Restrepo, Miami Hurricanes
Xavier Restrepo is another receiver who would fill the slot role that Kupp plays in LA very well. It would potentially be a reach for Restrepo at this point, but he could be worth using a first-round pick on.
Restrepo is the most prolific receiver in Miami history. He holds the all-time record for yards and receptions for the Hurricanes, finishing his career with 200 catches, 2,844 yards, and 21 TDS.
He’s a slot through and through, but again, that’s the type of player the Rams are trying to replace.
4) Jalen Royals, Utah State Aggies
In my full scouting report for Jalen Royals, I said his Ideal fit would be in a Mike Shanahan-style offense. Guess who comes from the Shanahan coaching tree? Mcvay.
Royals isn’t the purest wide receiver but is potentially the best playmaker in this draft class. I have him rated as the No. 1 YAC receiver in this entire draft class. In just two years of starting at Utah State, Royals had 126 catches for 1914 yards and 10 TDs, averaging over 15 yards per catch in his college career.
If an NFL coach has a plan for Royals before drafting him, he could be more productive than any other pass catcher in this draft class, and I believe that Mcvay can accomplish that.
5) Jack Bech, TCU Horned Frogs
Jack Bech: 6’2″, 214 pounds. Kupp: 6’2″, 207 pounds. If there was a high-end pro comp for Bech, it’s Kupp. These guys both have very similar play styles. They’re both technically sound route runners with great hands who excel from the slot but aren’t top-tier athletes.
Bech started his career at LSU before transferring to TCU in his junior season. But he didn’t break out until his senior season.
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In his final collegiate season, Bech had 62 catches for 1,034 yards and nine TDs, solidifying himself as a real draft prospect in 2025.
Again, Bech is a very similar player to Kupp and would be able to fill that role very nicely in LA.
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