Ranking Rams’ biggest NFL draft gems of the last decade

V- This All Pro wide receiver bested rookie receiver records

It's not every NFL Draft that lands a record-setting rookie wide receiver, but the Rams did exactly that by selecting Puka Nacua with the 177th overall pick. This marks the third rookie to make this list, but there has never been a rookie class like that of the 2023 NFL Draft, and there may never be one like that again.

The LA Rams did not perceive the wide receiver position as one of great need in the 2023 NFL Draft, or the team most certainly would have selected Puka Nacua sooner. But All-Pro WR Cooper Kupp suffered an injury that would place him on the IR list to start the season, and Nacua had an encouraging training camp.

The coaching staff knew that the rookie receiver could make the catches. What they did not, and could not, know is how tough he would be on the football field. Standing 6-foot-2 and weighing 205 pounds, Nacua is a physical wide receiver who can run his routes, create separation, and put up plenty of yards after the catch. Almost born to play in HC Sean McVay's offense, Nacua mastered every task, even blocking when the football did not go his way.

He caught 105 of 160 targets for 1,486 yards and six touchdowns, setting NFL rookie records for receptions and receiving yards. That record-setting performance from the 177th player selected in the 2023 NFL Draft gets Puka Nacua a Top-5 spot on the draft gems of the past decade. But to get any higher on this list, he will need to put up similar seasons.