Puka Nacua’s ascent to stardom was rapid – as fast as any player in recent memory for someone drafted as late as he was. He went from being a fifth-round rookie who was hardly a lock to make the 53-man roster when camp began to nearly winning Offensive Rookie of the Year and becoming one of the most popular players in football.
He’s well past just being popular now after a terrific second season. He’s undeniably a top-tier player regardless of position, a legitimate candidate to compete for Offensive Player of the Year. His value to the Los Angeles Rams is huge, both as a receiver and a blocker in the run game.
With Cooper Kupp gone, Nacua’s importance to the team is even higher. He ranks No. 2 on our list of the team’s 25 most important players entering the 2025 season.
How he got here
Nacua was a relatively unknown player to most in 2023 when the Rams selected him with the 177th overall pick in the fifth round. The BYU product was injured often in college and didn’t test particularly well before the draft, causing his stock to slip.
2024 stats
11 games (11 starts): 106 targets, 79 catches, 990 yards, 3 touchdowns, 11 carries, 46 yards, 1 touchdown
Projected role
Kupp is out of the picture, which naturally elevates Nacua’s opportunities a little bit. However, the signing of Davante Adams prevents Nacua from being the overwhelming favorite to be the go-to receiver.
Both Nacua and Adams will both see a ton of targets from Matthew Stafford, especially considering they’re different types of receivers. Nacua will play in the slot often and also line up wide to the right, while Adams’ best spot might be as an X-receiver to the left side of the field where he’ll be isolated against a cornerback.
Why he’s important
Nacua missed five of the first six games last season and in those games, the Rams were 2-3. They also lost the opener against the Lions in a game where Nacua left in the second quarter with a knee injury.
It’s no coincidence that the Rams went 8-2 in the other 10 games, showing just how valuable he is to the team. If not for his five-game injury absence, he might’ve led the NFL in receiving yards; he was third in yards per game, averaging 90.0 in his second season, trailing only Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson.
The Rams don’t have a receiver who can do the things that he can, from catching drag routes and turning them into big gains to blocking on the edge to running fades down the sideline. He improved in a big way last season despite his numbers declining, displaying more reliable hands, better route running and footwork, too.
Los Angeles’ offense is just different when he’s on the field.
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This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams’ 25 most important players for 2025 – No. 2: WR Puka Nacua
Reporting by Cameron DaSilva, Rams Wire / Rams Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
