As soon as the Los Angeles Rams were reportedly interested in trading away veteran WR Cooper Kupp, the mantle of the next star wide receiver fell upon the shoulders of third-year wide receiver Puka Nacua. It was not something he lobbied for. It was not even something that he mentioned. But in the eyes of the fans, the coaching staff, and the Rams front office, it is something whose time has come.
Puka Nacua was selected in Round 5 of the 2023 NFL Draft, with the 177th overall pick. If you believe that NFL scouts and draft analysts are flawless, consider that many NFL Big Boards did not have Nacua anywhere close to their Top 100 rookie prospects in that rookie class. The NFL official website ranked Nacua as the 47th wide receiver among 2023 rookie prospects.
Thankfully, the Rams thought otherwise.
His draft profiles consistently praised him for precise routes, admirable yards tacked on after the catch, and a determination to catch the football in traffic. But those same write-ups dinged him for being raw, for not creating separation organically, and for a lack of top-notch speed. Curiously, the same strengths and weaknesses were stated about veteran WR Cooper Kupp.
Puka Nacua
Now, after two years learning from and training with Kupp, the Rams believe that Nacua can be the next flagship receiver for their offensive armada. Here's why they are correct in believing in their rising NFL star.
(3) - Puka Nacua is humble but dominating
Since his first game in the 2023 NFL season, WR Puka Nacua has proven to be incredibly special. In his first game in the NFL playing in the Rams offense, he hauled in 10 of 15 passes for 119 yards. In his second game, he caught 15 of 20 passes for 147 yards. By the end of September 2023, he had caught 30 of 42 passes for 338 yards. Three games into the NFL, and he was averaging nearly 113 yards per game.
But he is wired that way. He is wired to dominate on the football field. But that is not where the magic happens. Unlike so many young receivers (and players for that matter) who tell the world how they are going to dominate in professional football, but quickly fizzle out, Nacua has always stayed humble and modest. If you want to know how good he is, you need to tune in whenever he sets foot on the football field.
He put up 105 catches out of 160 targets for 1,486 receiving yards and six touchdowns in his rookie season, but he left more on the football field. As soon as he set the Single Season Rookie Receiver Records for receptions and receiving yards, he was benched in Week 18. He doesn't need to tell the NFL how good he can play. He lets his performance speak for him.
(2) - Puka Nacua proved to be bigger than the moment
The best gauge of a player is to assess how well they perform in postseason competition. In his first NFL Playoffs performance on the road against the very physical Detroit Lions, Puka Nacua hauled in nine of ten passes for a jaw-dropping 181 receiving yards and a touchdown. Hmm. You could conclude that he steps up when the stage is bigger and the spotlight is on him.
Nacua was banged up in his second NFL season, starting in just 11 of 17 games, as well as suiting up for two playoff games. But when the team needed him, he showed up in a big way. Against the powerhouse Minnesota Vikings in Week 8, Nacua caught seven of nine passes for 106 yards. Despite losing to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 12, he hauled in nine of 13 passes for 117 yards. And when the Rams offense needed to go full throttle to defeat the Buffalo Bills in Week 14, Nacua exploded for 12 of 14 for 162 yards and a touchdown.
Great players do not necessarily need to put up 150+ yards in every game. Their true value shines when the competition is fierce and the stakes are at their highest. Those are the scenarios when Puka Nacua is at his best.
(1) - The Rams are eager to witness the best of Nacua
The best of Puka Nacua is something the Rams are eager to witness firsthand. While it is clear that the team has not limited targets or opportunities to the young star receiver, this team has crowded the skill sets that make Nacua so exceptional on the football field by replicating those talents in his teammates.
You could make the argument that Cooper Kupp, Demarcus Robinson, Tyler Johnson, and even 2024 rookie Jordan Whittington all offered similar attributes to the offense. Only seldom-used WR Tutu Atwell offered a different dimension to the offense. Well, no more.
Veteran Tutu Atwell is back, as is his blazing speed. And it's that speed that forces secondaries to defend deep routes while surrendering short and intermediate routes. While that has definite advantages to the Rams' ground attack, it also clears up the areas that Puka Nacua loves to roam.
But the addition of veteran WR Davante Adams could be the key to unlocking Nacua. Adams is a seasoned veteran who instantly assumed the role of mentor to the Rams young wide receivers. But on the football field, Adams is the master of creating separation. Why is that so vital for the Rams' offense? Now, secondaries are painted into a corner. If they double up on Nacua, Adams wins any one-on-one matchup. However, if teams choose to double-team Adams, Nacua can get enough separation to catch the football and rack up a lot of receiving yards.
If he stays healthy, Puka Nacua could flirt with 1500+ receiving yards this season. Not too shabby for a rookie who was the 47th-ranked receiver in his rookie class, eh?
As alway, thanks for reading.
