LA Rams WR TuTu Atwell: Can a smurfy WR survive the NFL?

When the LA Rams drafted Louisville WR Tutu Atwell with their critical second-round 57th pick in the 2021 NFL draft, the reaction of fans (including myself) was alternately either. “He’s speedy, but he’s kinda small, Dontcha think?” or “They hit a lot harder in the pros than college.”

I even made light of his diminutive size, writing Tutu stood for Tu Small, Tu Slight. Smurfy. Pint-sized. Lilliputian, even. I questioned whether he could absorb NFL hits with a body so slight, that a stuff wind might land him on the IR, or worse, the PUP list.

The Rams list him at 5-foot-9, 165 pounds. But I think that’s a very generous spot of the ball, Ref. But that is what he is at, so let’s go with that. Of course, he’s added some weight pretty quickly in that case.

That’s because I’ve seen him listed elsewhere at 155 pounds. In one report citing his weight, he was listed as light as 149 pounds. Maybe they hosed him down before arriving at that 165 number. Stuck a few lead weights inside his cleats.

Of course, it may be the result of scouting departments already taking him aside and confiding in him: “You’ve got to put on some muscle if you want to play in the NFL for my team.”  And it could be that is what is going on. A weight training program designed to add muscle and bulk to his frame. Aim his NFL playing weight around that of Steve Smith. He was 5-foot-9 as well. But his weight was listed as 195.