Baylor

Cupp

A former top-50 overall recruit, Cupp (6'7/240) was unable to break through with the Aggies. He found a new home in Lubbock where he will be able to not only get a fresh start but also an opportunity for playing time, as he didn’t catch a pass for the Aggies. He will be competing with Mason Tharp to catch passes from either Tyler Shough or Donovan Smith.

Cupp (6'7/240) arrived in College Station in 2019 as a top-50 overall prospect and was poised to take over the starting job from recently departed Jalen Wydermyer. However the Brock High School product recorded just one start and hadn’t produced a single catch in three years. Cupp will look to re-establish his value with a fresh start and can choose a program with a clear path to a starting job at his new destination.

Cupp (6'6/240) signed with the Aggies to much acclaim at the end of the 2019 cycle, but the former five-star recruit’s career has gotten off to about as rough a start as could be imagined. An ankle break and dislocation last August kept Cupp from debuting as a freshman. And while we don’t have a concrete recovery timetable coming off this week’s shoulder surgery, it could well end up costing him the whole of the upcoming season. Jalen Wydermyer will be tasked with leading the tight ends room this fall.

Surprised? You probably should be, but Texas A&M returns a considerable amount of talent, including dual-threat quarterback Kellen Mond. Crawford notes that there’s so much talent here that there are strong options who won’t even get a chance to start. “Consider that Baylor Cupp was one of the top freshman tight ends in the country before injury and then Jalen Wydermyer became a freshman all American in his absence,” he writes. “Consider that DeMarvin Leal was a candidate to be the No. 1 player in the country but was banged up early in the season only to emerge late.” The SEC is still loaded, but Texas A&M has the talent to compete for a title for the first time since Jimbo Fisher took over.

Cupp (6'6/245) was one of the crown jewels of Texas A&M’s 2019 recruiting class, but it’s now looking highly unlikely that he’ll be able to contribute this season. “He had a plate put on his ankle, tibia, on the lower part of his leg,” HC Jimbo Fisher said of the star freshman’s injury. “He’ll be out for a while. Just got rolled up on. That was the only major injury we had in the scrimmage.” With Cupp sidelined sophomore Glenn Beal, who like the freshman has worked with the first-team offense in fall camp, is the odds-on favorite to start with Camron Horry and Jalen Wydermyer also in line for more reps.

The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman listed Cupp in his annual must-read “Freaks List” because of his size, speed, and strength. Standing at 6-foot-6 and 245 pounds, Cupp will be a mismatch down the field with high 4.5-speed but he’ll also win with power in the red zone. It’s rare for college tight ends to have big production (especially freshmen), yet it’s safe to project Cupp for over 30 receptions. Cupp has the recruiting and athletic profile of an NFL tight end.

Cupp (6'6/240) has already been called a projected starter “from the jump” and “a mismatch waiting to happen in the middle of the field.” And now Athlon Sports’ Steven Lassan believes Cupp will fill in for Jace Sternberger, who was just drafted by the Green Bay Packers. 2019’s top tight end recruit, Cupp has the potential to make noise as a freshman, something that’s historically been tough to do.

Cupp (6'6/240) signed on with the Aggies over the winter. For the past cycle, the 247Sports composite board ranked him as the top tight end in the class. He immediately went about making his mark in spring practice, culminating in a 5-88-1 showing during the team’s spring game. With Jace Sternberger off to the NFL, Cupp has a prime opportunity to make a real impact this fall. Glenn Beal is the other notable name to watch in the tight ends room when the Aggies boot up August camp in a few months.

Many recruiting websites listed Cupp as the top tight end in the 2019 class -- including Texas A&M -- and the 6-foot-6, 240-pound playmaker has a great opportunity to showcase his talents in 2019. Some of that has to do with his talent, and it’s worth pointing out that Jace Sternberger is off to the NFL. Hummer believes you can pencil Cupp in as the starter “from the jump.” “An elite athlete at tight end who is pretty advanced as a run blocker,” he writes, “Cupp is exactly what offenses desire in the modern game. He’ll be a force even as a true freshman if Cupp takes steps forward as a route runner.”