Getty Cooper Kupp and Lance McCutcheon on June 8, 2022 in Thousand Oaks.
One towering 6-foot-5 talent is hoping he’ll stay in L.A., and revealed at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine that the Los Angeles Rams are on him — which could give the franchise a 2022 local star from UCLA.
Jake Bobo, who provided matchup mismatches in his only season in the Bruins’ offense and was a top target for quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson, shared via Ryan Anderson of the L.A. Football Network that the Rams have reached out to him. Fellow L.A. team the Chargers have also inquired about Bobo.
The native of North Andover, Massachusetts came to Westwood via Duke. But in his one season with former NFL head coach Chip Kelly and with “DTR” feeding him the ball, Bobo witnessed a numbers spike. His 817 receiving yards was the most in his college career and his seven touchdowns was another personal best. He additionally averaged a career-high 14.3 yards per catch in the backyard of the Rams.
‘He is a Superstar in the Making,’ Past Super Bowl Winner Said of Bobo
Bobo was considered a relative unknown talent in the Atlantic Coast Conference while playing for the Blue Devils.
But his stardom blossomed when he made the cross country journey to the West Coast. The 215-pound Bobo did enough to impress one Super Bowl winner turned college football analyst in Aaron Taylor back in October 2022.
“Keep your eye on that dude, he is a superstar in the making,” Taylor said on October 18 before the Bruins faced No. 10 Oregon.
“Keep your eye on that dude, he is a superstar in the making!” 🌟
—@AaronTaylorCFB on @UCLAFootball‘s Jake Bobo
And that was before Bobo torched a talented Ducks secondary as he hit 101 yards on eight catches plus scored once despite the 45-30 loss. He even caught this high-concentration grab with one hand:
Whoa Jake Bobo!
Bobo didn’t just win over Taylor. NFL insider Jordan Schultz of The Score also fell in love with Bobo’s combination of size, hands and excellent route running. And those traits were on display against No. 15 Washington:
Love UCLA WR Jake Bobo as an NFL prospect. The Duke transfer has great size (6-5, 215) and hands + runs excellent routes as we see here. Watch him at the top of this route and how he flattens it right beyond the 1st down line — on 3rd down.
In that same game, which saw Bobo deliver his first 100-yard game in a UCLA uniform with 142 yards on six catches, Bobo used his short-area quickness to evade one tackle attempt before using his nose for the end zone:
it’s JAKE BOBO’S WORLD 🌎
And with his height, he becomes in good use for plays near the goal line, as seen here versus the Pac-12 champion Utah:
The rise of Jake Bobo continues
Breakdown of How Bobo Could Fit Inside ‘Rams House’
Could WR be a high need for the Rams? Even though they run a wide receiver-oriented offense?
Cooper Kupp and Allen Robinson will be healthy again. Van Jefferson has another year left on his rookie deal. Tutu Atwell became more involved in the offense. Ben Skowronek, who The Draft Network compared Bobo to, had a heavier involvement in the offense which included lining up as a part-time fullback.
Then there’s last season’s preseason star Lance McCutcheon who used his towering frame to impress the Rams. And another tall figure next to him in Jacob Harris at 6-foot-5. However, Harris has had a slow start in the league after being drafted in the fourth round in 2021 and spent most of 2022 on the practice squad. Then there’s return ace Brandon Powell who’s an unrestricted free agent.
Bobo would definitely bring some impressive size and is a fluid athlete for his towering frame. He’s capable of winning over Sean McVay, new offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur and perhaps quarterback Matthew Stafford with his ability to make defenders miss in the open field. But this offense thrives on speed and using wideouts to blow the top off defenses — and Bobo is lacking in elite speed and threatening safeties and cornerbacks deep. He’s more of a possession and red zone type for this offense.
But if the Rams choose to add more height to the WR room, Bobo would be a solid local addition.