WR Puka Nacua is a natural successor to Cooper Kupp in Rams offense

When it comes to the Los Angeles Rams, the perception remains that the team is bursting with youth on special teams and defense, but steeped in sage veteran leadership on offense. It's true that the team still boasts RT Rob Havenstein, TE Tyler Higbee, and QB Matthew Stafford from the offense that persevered for the win in Super Bowl LVI. The reality is that the offense has undergone sweeping changes as well.

It's just that the changes on offense have been built on elite performances of young players that resemble veteran production. Also factoring into the transition is the matter of veterans paying it forward. When the Rams drafted BYU rookie WR prospect Puka Nacua in Round 5 of the 2023 NFL Draft, he was welcomed and mentored by veteran WR Cooper Kupp.

It was more than a matter of teammates being buddies. Kupp practically downloaded all of his veteran wisdom into Nacua from the get-go. If you recall, it was rookie Puka Nacua who suited up in Kupp's place for the first four games in 2023. And so, Kupp was ensuring that Nacua would become a worthy understudy for that role in the offense.

Nacua was superb. In those first four games of 2023, he averaged 10 catches on 14 targets for 125 yards and 0.25 touchdowns. Now, keep in mind that these were his first four games in the Rams offense. He was so good that, upon Cooper Kupp's return to the active roster, veteran WR Van Jefferson requested to be traded because he understood that he would be benched in favor of Nacua.

Standing 6-foot-2 and tipping the scales at 212 pounds, Puka Nacua is an ideal size for his style of play at the wide receiver position. He is strong and muscular, amplifying his physical style of play. As soon as he secures the football, he becomes a nightmare to tackle, adding impressive numbers of yards after the catch. That is a trademark of all successful Rams' receivers.

Perhaps most of all, the Rams rely on Nacua to block like a tight end, which he does willingly and enthusiastically. Because he toggles so easily from blocker to pass catcher, the Rams can exploit defenses on virtually every play from the same baseline formation. And with Nacua on the football field, the Rams' rookie proved to be unstoppable.

But, what about 2024?