It’s only OTAs but the Konata Mumpfield hype is already off the charts

The Los Angeles Rams found rookie wide receiver sensation Puka Nacua in Round 5 of the 2023 NFL Draft. Ever since that moment, all other 31 NFL teams have boasted that they had selected a similar rookie wide receiver sensation in the 2024 and 2025 NFL Drafts. They didn't and haven't come close. So no, I'm not about to try to sell you on the foolish notion that the Rams have somehow managed to lure lightning into a bottle for a second time.

Former Pittsburgh Panthers rookie wide receiver Konata Mumpfield is not Puka Nacua, nor has he ever pretended to be. So what is he? And why should Rams fans care? He is a very talented receiver who checks many boxes that this team has not included in the receiver room before. And it's his unique blend of uncommon talents in one package that adds an entirely new dimension to the Rams' offense.

Of course, potential will never become production until a player steps onto a football field and is allowed to handle the football. For running backs, that means carries. For tight ends and wide receivers, that means targets.

And based on some of the over-the-top reactions to Konata Mumpfield's first impressions at the Rams OTAs, the chances of Mumpfield earning a roster slot and perhaps even targets on game day are skyrocketing

Okay. Let's tap the brakes a bit. This is only t-shirts and shorts without pads. The nature of OTAs always favors the offensive players, because there are no pads and therefore no tackling. So it should be easy enough to win the footrace on a football field if you know where you are going, and your opponent doesn't.

And yet, even Sports Illustrated is already going bonkers over Konata Mumpfield:

Even Sports Illustrated is hyped over Mumpfield

While the secret to views for any NFL team website is to launch into extremes - whether pessimistic or optimistic, that only works in a catchy headline that begs readers to check out the article itself. But for Sports Illustrated author Brock Vierra, the title for his article was simply 3 observations on Rams OTA No. 1.

Nothing dramatic or exciting about that headline, right? And yet, if you dive into the article, the hype hits you instantly like a gust of wind:

The very first paragraph of the Rams' first day of OTAs piles up a towering heap of praise for rookie WR Konata Mumpfield:

"Konata Mumpfield was absolutely brilliant on the day. He showed off his ball tracking skills on an underthrown pass by Jimmy Garoppolo, but it was a constant ability to snatch balls out of the sky that truly exemplified how he dazzled."

SI author Brock Vierra

The article goes on to praise how prepared the defensive backs seemed. And the article finishes up with a gushing conclusion over what sage veteran Davante Adams brings to this offense.

Let's call it like it is. Mumpfield will not be targeted enough in 2025 to come close to Offensive Rookie Of the Year. He won't put up 1000 receiving yards. He may not even finish the season among the top five receivers this season. So why is everyone so optimistic about Mumpfield?

Why is Mumpfield such a promising rookie in the Rams offense?

Perhaps the key to understanding that is to go back and understand why ESPN's draft analyst Louis Riddick has been such a strong advocate of Mumpfield's fit in the Rams offense. It's the myriad of little things that Mumpfield excels at that make him so undervalued yet such a great fit for the Rams.

He is 5-foot-11 and weighs 186 pounds. He can change his tempo to throw off defensive backs, and then suddenly punch it to blaze with a 4.59-second 40-yard dash speed. He can track the football, stretch out his arms, and time his leaps to come down with the football. Best of all, he is a dangerous offensive weapon all over the football field.

What makes a strong brick wall? If you say the quality of the bricks, you only get partial credit. Bricks come in all varieties of quality, colors, shapes, and sizes. But if you stack bricks, the formation is a relatively weak construction without the mortar to hold it all together. The artisan craftsmanship of a master bricklayer is not in stacking bricks, but in the masterful way that he applies the perfect mortar between each brick to lock it all into place.

Mumpfield is the mortar of the Rams' receiver room. As the team finds receivers who specialize in changing tempos, running atomic-clock precision routes, out-muscling defensive backs, or simply running past everyone, Mumpfield brings a little bit of everything with him.

I like Mumpfield. And if he gets the opportunity to get targeted in 2025, he has that aura of a young man who will exceed expectations. But he is unlikely to get enough targets to make a huge impact on the team. He is more than a fine depth piece. Given the right coaching and patience, he can become a significant contributor for the Rams in the future.

But let's be honest here. It’s only OTAs, but the Konata Mumpfield hype is already off the charts. I'd rather allow this young man the opportunity to show up and impress fans on the football field, rather than to anoint him as the 2025 Offensive Rookie Of the Year (OROY) and then be disappointed when he falls short of that mark.

As always, thank you so much for reading.

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