The Los Angeles Rams selected wide receiver Puka Nacua in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL draft. If he had finished in the top-10 of rookie receivers in receptions and yards, the Rams probably would've been thrilled.
Instead, Nacua did that for all NFL receivers. His 101 catches tied for eighth in the league, while his 1,445 was bested by only three other receivers. Now, Nacua is Pro Bowl bound as a rookie.
“Such an honor and blessing!” is how the first-season sensation reacted to the news on Thursday, via his account on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Nacua fills void for Rams
Expectations were not especially high for the L.A. Rams coming into 2023. They had just suffered through a rough post-Super Bowl season, finishing at 5-12. They didn't have their top weapon, WR Cooper Kupp, to begin the season as he dealt with a hamstring injury.
The speedster out of BYU hit the ground running in the NFL. He went over 100 receiving yards in his first two games, and in three of his first four. Nacua made history along the way, including the record for most receptions of any player in NFL history through their first four games.
Now, the Rams have locked up a playoff spot before even taking the field in Week 18 against the San Francisco 49ers.
It's safe to say without Nacua, Kupp's absence early in the season would've been felt even more acutely. But skipping the learning curve and becoming an instant star has helped Nacua reach the Pro Bowl in his first season, and his team reach the postseason when few counted on it doing so.
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