The Los Angeles Rams found themselves a stud in Puka Nacua in last year's draft, coming out of BYU in the 5th round. He set the record for the most receptions and yards for a rookie in 2023. There were a lot of expectations heading into his second year, but how did he do?
The Rams, as a whole, started the season off slow, which can be attributed to the injury Nacua sustained in the first game. They would go on to lose their season opener against the Detroit Lions, and their season would continue to skid until they found themselves in a bind early, with a 1- 4 start.
Nacua wouldn't see the field again until a week 8 TNF matchup against the Minnesota Vikings, where the Rams fully utilized him. He saw nine targets and converted those into seven receptions with 106 receiving yards.
He finished the season with just under 1,000 receiving yards and four total touchdowns. Statistically, this was a massive downgrade from his explosive rookie year but that isn't taking into account the extended time he wasn't on the field.
With that context in mind, it's nothing short of a miracle that Nacua made the team alongside players who did play all season and killed it. Players such as Ja'Marr Chase, who achieved the feat of being the youngest player to receive the Triple Crown in receiving.
Nacua made the PFF 2024 All-Pro team as the flex receiver, which goes to show how versatile he is as a player. The Rams consistently use him as a YAC monster, but he can also line up in the slot or serve as a reliable target for Matthew Stafford to throw bombs to.
"Nacua doesn’t quite have the volume of some of the other top receivers in football, having missed some time in the first half of the season. Still, his 93.0 receiving grade ranked first at the position, and he averaged 3.56 yards per route run," PFF said.
Looking ahead, the Rams have made the postseason, and they look to repeat their 2022 season, where they came away with a Super Bowl ring. The Rams went 7 - 3 with Nacua back and paired alongside Cooper Kupp; their offense can hang with the best of them.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/rams/ as Rams' Puka Nacua Makes PFF's 2024 All-Pro Team.