Los Angeles native Eric Yarber is in his ninth season with the Rams serving as the team's wide receivers coach.
In 2024, the receiving corps had the sixth-fewest drops (15), 10th-most receiving yards (4,096) and 13th-most receptions (367) in the NFL. The unit also ranked 12th in yards per reception (11.2) and 14th in yards after the catch (1,958). Despite missing five games last season, WR Puka Nacua recorded 79 receptions for 990 yards and three touchdown catches. He became the second player in NFL history to record at least 150 receptions, 2,000 receiving yards and nine receiving touchdowns in his first 25 career games, joining Odell Beckham Jr.
Additionally under Yarber's guidance, former WR Cooper Kupp became the first player in franchise history, and the 16th player in NFL history, to record more than 150 receptions, more than 7,500 receiving yards and more than 50 touchdown receptions in a player's first 100 career games. Kupp also tallied the most receptions by a player in their first 100 career games with 625 and passed Elroy Hirsch for the most receiving touchdowns in franchise history with 57. Kupp's 629 career receptions are the third-most in franchise history.
Yarber also helped WR Tutu Atwell reach career-highs in receptions (42) and receiving yards (562) in 2024 while former WR Demarcus Robinson notched career-bests in receiving yards (505) and receiving touchdowns (seven). In 2023, Nacua set the NFL rookie record for most receptions (105) and receiving yards (1,486) in a single season. He also set the NFL rookie record for most receiving yards in a playoff game, set a franchise record for most receiving yards in a Wild Card game (181), and was a finalist for the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year Award. Kupp became the franchise leader in postseason receptions (50).
The year prior in 2022, Yarber helped Kupp sustain the success from his historic 2021 triple crown-winning campaign. Before he was sidelined with an injury in Week 10, Kupp was on his way to another stellar season ranking second in the NFL in receptions (72), third in yards after catch (422) and fifth in receiving first downs (42), receiving touchdowns (six), and receiving yards (812). Yarber also played an instrumental role in the development of former WR Van Jefferson. For a three-year stretch from 2020-22, Jefferson's 14.96 yards per reception ranked tied for seventh in the NFL amongst receivers.
In 2021 with the guidance of Yarber, Kupp became the fourth player in NFL history to win the receiving Triple Crown by leading the NFL in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving TDs. He led the second place receivers in all three categories by some of the widest margins of any receiving Triple Crown winner. Kupp's season was capped off by becoming the Super Bowl LVI MVP, the 2021 NFL Offensive Player of the Year and was voted to his first Pro Bowl. Kupp also was voted First-Team All-Pro. Jefferson had a breakout 2021 season, starting all 17 games and hauling in 50 catches for 802 yards and six touchdowns. With Yarber's leadership, mid-season acquisition Odell Beckham Jr. was able to quickly acclimate to the Rams' offensive system and play a key role in the offensive production during the Rams' Super Bowl run.
In 2020, Kupp and former WR Robert Woods led the Rams pass catchers, finishing with 974 and 936 receiving yards, respectively. Woods added a team-high six receiving touchdowns, 155 rush yards and two rushing touchdowns.
The 2019 campaign saw a breakout year from Kupp, who returned from a season-ending injury during the 2018 season. Kupp recorded his first 1,000-yard season of his career with 1,061 receiving yards and led the team in receptions (94). Kupp finished with a career-high 220 yards on seven receptions against the Bengals in the Rams' International Series win in Week 8. His 220 yards were the most receiving yards in an international game in NFL history. Woods also ended the season with over 1,000 receiving yards, giving L.A. consecutive seasons with multiple receivers totaling over 1,000 receiving yards since a run of four-straight seasons from 1999-2002.With the tutelage of Yarber, the Rams quickly acclimated 2018 offseason acquisition Brandin Cooks into the league's No. 3 scoring offense. Cooks (1,204) and fellow wideout Robert Woods (1,219) posted career-highs in receiving yards while becoming the first Rams receiving duo to surpass 1,000 yards each since Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce in 2006.
During the 2017 season, the newly-acquired Woods recorded a then personal-best 781 yards receiving, which ranked third amongst the 2017 free agent wide receiver group. Kupp finished with a team-best 869 yards receiving, the second-most amongst all rookies and was named to the Pro Football Writers Association (PFWA) All-Rookie team. Prior to joining the Rams in 2017, Yarber spent the previous five seasons with the UCLA Bruins in the same capacity. Yarber joined the Bruins staff as a receivers coach in 2012. During his tenure, seven of Yarber's receivers were selected in the NFL Draft, including three in the 2016 NFL Draft.
The Bruins' pass offense ranked 18th in the nation (295.6 yards per game) in 2016. That season saw the emergence of receivers Darren Andrews, Jordan Lasley and Kenneth Walker. Andrews ranked 10th in the Pac-12 in receptions per game and led the team with 55 catches. Lasley came on strong over the course of the season and recorded 41 receptions and led the team with six touchdowns. Walker notched 22 catches and four touchdowns.
Jordan Payton was invited to the Senior Bowl and was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the 2016 NFL Draft. Payton became UCLA's all-time receptions leader during the 2015 campaign and the first Bruin to ever catch 200 career passes. He also moved up to third on the all-time receiving yards list and ranked among the nation's top 25 in receiving yards (1,106) and receiving yards per game (85.1). Thomas Duarte, a Miami Dolphins draft selection, earned second-team all-conference honors after registering 10 touchdown catches, which ranked fourth on the all-time school single-season list and was 17th in the NCAA. Devin Fuller, drafted by the Atlanta Falcons, moved up to the top six in career receptions.
In year two at UCLA, Yarber helped senior Shaq Evans, a fourth-round selection of the New York Jets in the 2014 NFL Draft, finish his career ranked tied for 10th on the school's all-time receptions list. Evans earned an invite to the Senior Bowl and the NFL Combine after catching nine touchdowns in 2013, tied for ninth on the all-time school list.
In 2011, Yarber worked as Tampa Bay's wide receivers coach for a promising young unit that included the development of second-round pick Arrelious Benn and fourth-round pick Mike Williams. Williams turned in one of the top seasons by a receiver in Buccaneers history, recording 65 receptions for 964 yards and 11 touchdowns. He led all rookie receivers in each of these categories, earning The Sporting News and PFW/PFWA All-Rookie Team selection while finishing second in voting for the Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year Award. Yarber also oversaw the emergence of Benn, who was becoming an important part of the Tampa Bay offense prior to a season-ending knee injury in Week 13.
Yarber joined Tampa Bay after spending three seasons (2007-09) at the collegiate level as the wide receivers coach at Arizona State. While at ASU in 2009, Yarber coached two standout wide receivers in Kyle Williams and Chris McGaha. Williams finished the 2009 campaign with 815 receiving yards on 57 catches and eight touchdowns before being invited to the Senior Bowl and becoming a sixth-round draft pick of the San Francisco 49ers in the 2010 NFL Draft. McGaha racked up 56 catches for 673 yards and four touchdowns on his way to earn second-team All-Pac 10 honors.
Prior to his work with the Sun Devils, Yarber coached wide receivers for two seasons (2005-06) under Tyrone Willingham at the University of Washington. With Yarber's assistance, two receivers, Sonny Shackleford and Anthony Russo, turned in strong performances, with Russo finishing third in the Pac-10 Conference with a 17.3 yards-per-catch average and Shackleford finishing fourth in touchdown catches (seven) and eighth in receptions (50) and receiving yards (666).
During the 2003-04 seasons, Yarber coached the San Francisco 49ers' wide receivers, and in his first year guided Pro Bowler Terrell Owens to a 1,000-yard season. During this time, Yarber was also instrumental in the development of wide receivers Cedrick Wilson and Brandon Lloyd, as the duo ranked first and second among 49ers' receivers in yards after the catch with a 13.6 and 13.1 average (min. 10 receptions) respectively in 2004.
From 1999-2002, Yarber coached at Oregon State, where he worked with the running backs for one season (1999) before switching to wide receivers (2000-2002). He coached Ken Simonton, who was inducted into the Oregon State Hall of Fame after setting program records that still stand today. Simonton posted records in career rushing yards (5,044), attempts (1.041); touchdowns (59) and 100-yard games (26). Simonton was the first Beaver to gain 1,000 or more yards in three seasons. His work with receivers Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh led to the two being selected in the second and seventh rounds, respectively, by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2001 NFL Draft. Johnson also earned a Senior Bowl invitation.
Yarber coached his first year in the NFL in 1998, working as an offensive assistant/assistant running backs coach with the Seattle Seahawks, after spending the 1997 season coaching receivers at UNLV. His coaching career began in 1996 when he took a secondary coaching position at his alma mater, Idaho.
Yarber was selected by Washington as a 12th-round pick in the 1986 NFL Draft and spent three seasons as a wide receiver and punt returner. He was part of the Washington squad that defeated the Denver Broncos to win Super Bowl XXII in 1988, leading that team with 37 punt returns. At Idaho, Yarber was a Kodak All-American and the Big Sky Conference's Most Valuable Player during his senior year, catching 75 passes for 1,103 yards. He attended Crenshaw High School in Los Angeles. Yarber earned a Bachelor's in general studies from the University of Idaho in 1995. He is married to Estevanica and has one son, Kameryon.
