When ex-coaches knew the 4 Super Bowl participants with Washington high school football ties were next level
Cooper Kupp (Davis) and Abe Lucas (Archbishop Murphy) start for the Seattle Seahawks while Jack Westover (Mount Si) and Efton Chism (Monroe) are emerging role players for the New England Patriots
When Super Bowl LX kicks off Sunday afternoon from Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., high school football in Washington will be well represented — with four of the state’s former standouts on 53-man rosters heading into the game.
Two — Monroe’s Efton Chism III and Mount Si’s Jack Westover — have seen playing time on the New England Patriots’ roster. And two more — Davis’ Cooper Kupp and Archbishop Murphy’s Abraham Lucas — are regular starters for the Seattle Seahawks.
Ahead of Sunday’s championship showdown, VarsityWA takes a look at each of the four players’ careers so far, from high school, to college — all four also played for in-state programs at the FBS and FCS levels — and now the NFL:
New England Patriots
WR Efton Chism III
At Monroe: A jack-of-all-trades playmaker as a four-year starter, Chism was the most feared big-play performer in the Wesco. The school’s single-game record-holder for catches (13) and yards (215) was selected as an all-state all-purpose player as a senior. Finished his career with 166 catches for 2,581 yards and 31 receiving touchdowns — with 39 touchdowns overall.
At EWU: In five seasons with the Eagles from 2020-24, Chism tallied 346 catches for 3,852 yards and 37 touchdowns in 53 games played. He was an all-Big Sky first-team selection his junior and senior seasons, and an FCS first-team All-American his final season in 2024, when he led the Big Sky in catches (120), receiving yards (1,311) and receiving touchdowns (13). His receptions total also led NCAA Division I.
NFL career so far: Chism signed with New England as an undrafted free agent last spring, made his NFL debut in Week 6 and appeared in eight regular-season games on special teams and offense. He caught his first NFL pass and later his first touchdown in a Week 17 win over the Jets, and made his first start in a win over the Dolphins the following week. He also appeared in the AFC wild-card win over the Chargers and AFC divisional-round win over the Texans.
When high school coach Michael Bumpus knew Chism had NFL potential: “When I first saw him, his body control was crazy. But when I knew was when we played Puyallup in the quarterfinals of the playoffs. It was fourth-and-2. It was foggy. We were backed up deep in our end. I knew if we got a first down, it was over, so we went for it. … and we ran a play we had never run before. We packed it up and I put Efton at tight end. It was play action to him along the seam. The ball was high, and he got twisted in the air but caught it. The fact he did something he had never done to win us a game, I knew then he was different.”
FB Jack Westover
At Issaquah/O’Dea/Mount Si: Saw more time on the basketball court than he did on the football field in his one season at Mount Si, which was cut short after two games with a broken collarbone (he caught one touchdown pass). Westover was part of O’Dea’s state runner-up squad as a wide receiver in 2016, but never saw the field. Attended Issaquah High School as a ninth grader.
At UW: Westover spent six seasons on Montlake from 2018-23, appearing in 52 games across his final five seasons with the Huskies and collecting 87 catches for 849 yards and six touchdowns as a tight end. Also had catches in each of UW’s three playoff games during the program’s run to a CFP National Championship Game appearance his final season.
NFL career so far: Westover signed with the Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in the spring of 2024 before eventually joining the Patriots’ practice squad later that fall. He made his first NFL game appearance in Week 12, and appeared in two more games that season. Now listed at fullback, Westover played in all 17 regular-season games this season, and each of the Patriots’ playoff wins over the Chargers (wild-card round), Texans (divisional round) and Broncos (AFC Championship Game).
When high school coach Charlie Kinnune knew Westover had NFL potential: “First, in high school, he was 6-foot-4, 225 pounds with great hands, hips and feet. He looked the part. On the hoof, he had that NCAA Division I look. so it starts there. And secondly, he made a couple plays in a game early in his senior season before he got injured that were off the charts. I knew then, ‘Yeah, this guy is special, he’s got it.’”
Seattle Seahawks
WR Cooper Kupp
At Davis: One of the best players to ever come out of the 4A CBBN, Kupp was a two-way all-state selection at wide receiver and defensive back as a senior in 2011. He caught 60 passes for 1,059 yards and 18 touchdowns, and set a school record in his final season with 22 total touchdowns. Finished his high school career with 110 catches for 2,100 yards. Also led Davis to a Class 4A boys basketball championship in 2012.
At EWU: Dominated the FCS ranks with the Eagles as a consensus four-time All-American, and was the two-time Big Sky Conference offensive player of the year (2015, 2016). Kupp set 15 FCS, 11 conference and 26 school records during his career, and finished with 6,464 yards on 428 catches, hauling in 73 touchdown. In fact, he scored touchdowns in 43 of 52 career games. And in four games against Pacific-12 Conference opponents, Kupp had 40 catches for 716 yards and 11 touchdowns.
NFL career so far: Selected in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Rams, Kupp spent the first eight seasons of his career with Los Angeles and made five trips to the postseason — including winning Super Bowl LVI following the 2021 season. Kupp was named the Super Bowl MVP, with eight catches for 92 yards and two touchdowns in the win over Cincinnati. He was also the AP offensive player of the year, a first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection that year after leading the NFL in catches (145), receiving yards (1,947) and receiving touchdowns (16). Kupp signed with the Seahawks last March, and played in 16 games during the regular season, collecting 47 catches for 593 yards and two touchdowns. He also played in the Seahawks’ divisional round win over the 49ers and NFC Championship Game win over the Rams, catching a touchdown pass. In 120 career regular-season appearances, Kupp has 681 catches for 8,369 yards and 59 touchdowns. In 11 career playoff games, he has 65 catches for 838 yards and eight scores.
When high school coach Rick Clark knew Kupp had NFL potential: “He is the most unselfish player I have ever worked with, and I coached on the staff at Michigan when we won it all in 1997, and was around (Tom) Brady, (Charles) Woodson and (Steve) Hutchinson. … It was that and his work ethic, so I always knew he was a next-level player. What I didn’t know is that he’d be a Super Bowl MVP.”
OT Abraham Lucas
At Archbishop Murphy: The second-oldest of seven siblings, Lucas was a two-sport standout in football and basketball. Began as a tight end before transitioning to offensive tackle his final two seasons, Lucas received recognition as a Class 2A state player of the year candidate in 2016 as a dominant two-way lineman, racking up 15 sacks at defensive end as a senior.
At WSU: Lucas spent five seasons in Pullman from 2017-21, and was a starter on the offensive line for the Cougars each of his final four college seasons. WSU’s right tackle started each of the 42 games he played in during his career, and was an all-Pacific-12 Conference first-team selection his final season in 2021.
NFL career so far: Selected in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Seahawks, Lucas has played in and started 46 regular-season games for Seattle the past four seasons, and three more playoff contests. Seattle’s right tackle started each of the 17 regular-season games this season, as well as both the divisional-round win over the 49ers and NFC Championship Game win over the Rams.
When high school coach Jerry Jenson knew Lucas had NFL potential: “I knew Abe was special, but (former UW) coach Chris Petersen is the one who saw Abe at a UW camp and immediately said. ‘That is an NFL tackle.’ Abe’s growth has been fun to watch.”
