Puka doesn’t get enough credit

Rams’ Puka Nacua has been the most valuable player in his draft class, not just a steal

It took 177 picks for the most valuable player in the 2023 NFL Draft to come off the board. Is that why people are hesitant to admit that player is Puka Nacua, the NFL’s current leader with 3.6 yards per route run, according to Next Gen Stats?

Coming off of a 5-12 season, their worst under Sean McVay, the Rams picked Nacua with the last pick of the fifth round, which was also L.A.’s fourth pick of that round alone. Few thought that the Rams had a need at wide receiver or that the 177th pick would be the one to replace Cooper Kupp if someone had to do it, but Nacua is as responsible for L.A.’s quick turnaround as any other player in the organization.

The Rams went 10-7 last season, including a valuable Week 1 win over the Seahawks (119 yards for Puka), as Puka kept the offense afloat while Kupp recovered from a training camp injury.

Then L.A. started 1-4 this season and wouldn’t you know it, Puka Nacua only played 25 snaps in Week 1’s loss to the Lions and missed the next five games.

Since Puka Nacua returned to the lineup in Week 8, the Rams are 7-2 and he’s put up these numbers:

• 88 targets
• 65 catches
• 826 yards
• 3 TDs
• 39 rushing yards, 1 TD

If paced out to a 17-game season, Nacua would be on track for 123 catches and 1,560 yards.

Nacua is also averaging +5 EPA per game according to NFL’s Next Gen Stats (Expected Points Added), which ranks 2nd overall in the entire NFL behind only Amon-Ra St. Brown of the Detroit Lions. His 46.2 Yards After Catch per game is third behind only Chris Godwin (injured weeks ago) and Ja’Marr Chase.

For a receiver who set all kinds of records as a rookie in 2023, including most catches and yards in a player’s first season, a 123-catch season would put Nacua just outside the top-10 for best such seasons of all time. Cooper Kupp is second all-time and first in Rams history with 145 catches in his historic 2021 season.

Now those two record-setters are teammates and potentially one win away from making the playoffs together for the second time in two years.

Nacua is playing in his 28th career game this week against the Arizona Cardinals and he will be coming after Ja’Marr Chase for third-most yards through a player’s first 28 games:

He already has more yards than Randy Moss had in his first 28 games with the Minnesota Vikings.

Nacua’s physical playing style is one of his greatest advantages, but also an area of his game that the Rams will have to continue to monitor because they need him and can’t afford to lose him for any playoff games. Puka Nacua is not just a steal in the 2023 draft.

He’s been the most valuable player in the entire class so far too.