Following his April draft by the Los Angeles Rams, rookie receiver Puka Nacua set forth straightforward objectives. His primary concerns revolved around excelling in blocking to secure playing time, potentially contributing as a special teams player, and figuring out his role within the team.
Rather than fixating on personal yardage achievements for the season, Nacua’s mindset was far from contemplating rookie receiving records. However, his recent performance in the 30-22 victory over the New Orleans Saints, where he amassed nine catches for 164 yards and a touchdown, has thrust him into the conversation for Offensive Rookie of the Year. Despite this, he acknowledges being in the shadow of the Houston Texans’ standout quarterback, C.J. Stroud, who is considered a heavy favorite for the award.
To break the NFL record for the most receiving yards by a rookie, Nacua needs to accumulate 147 yards in the Rams’ remaining two games. Rams coach Sean McVay expressed his admiration for Stroud’s exceptional year but stated that Nacua would get his vote due to his unique skills and dedication to being a great teammate.
Nacua’s impressive season includes 96 catches for 1,327 yards and five touchdowns, featuring six games with at least 100 receiving yards. Stroud, on the other hand, boasts a completion rate of 62.4%, 3,631 yards, and 20 touchdowns in 13 games, placing him sixth among all quarterbacks in yardage this season. Stroud is currently in the concussion protocol and missed Week 15.
Notably, Nacua achieved his third game with 150 receiving yards on Thursday, making him the fifth player in NFL history to do so within their first 15 career games. Bill Groman, the current holder of the rookie record for receiving yards, accomplished this feat four times in 1960.
Despite his individual success, when asked about his candidacy for Offensive Rookie of the Year, Nacua swiftly redirected the conversation to the significance of the team’s performance. He emphasized the joy of participating in every football game since returning from the bye week and embraced the playoff mindset instilled by Coach McVay. Nacua acknowledged the novelty of playing deep into December and expressed the enjoyment of adapting to this extended season.
