From the No. 177 selection in the 2023 NFL Draft to No. 1 in the rookie record books, Puka Nacua has become an instant sensation.
Nacua, the Los Angeles Rams fifth-round pick, set a new rookie record for receiving yards during Sunday's 21-20 win over the San Francisco 49ers.
Nacua surpassed Bill Groman's 1960 rookie mark of 1,473 yards on a 6-yard catch in the third quarter. He needed 29 yards coming into Week 17 to get past Groman and did so, recording his seventh 100-plus-yard game of the season.
In doing so, Nacua has also passed by some of his big-name current receiving brethren: Justin Jefferson (2020, 1,400 yards) and Ja’Marr Chase (2021, 1,455).
Not content with one rookie record on Sunday, on the very next play, Nacua hauled in his fourth reception of the game for his 105th catch of the season, surpassing Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle's 2021 mark of 104. He's just the third rookie to catch 100 or more passes -- joining Waddle and Anquan Boldin (2003).
"Really happy for Puka Nacua, head coach Sean McVay said after the game. "God, was that frustrating to try to figure that out. After the first drive, thought we would be able to do that, and I thought our guys just did a great job. For him to be able to break both of those records, is such a credit to this team but also his consistency and his body of work over a 17-game season. I'm really happy for him."Â Â Â
Nacua finished his day with four catches for 41 yards and a touchdown, getting pulled for playoff preservation after he wrote his name into the record books.
Having filled in spectacularly at the onset of the season for an injured Cooper Kupp, Nacua has officially turned in one of the greatest rookie seasons in league history for a receiver.
The BYU product will now focus on the Rams' postseason return to build on his blockbuster rookie run.
