Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua was one of the biggest surprises of the 2023 season.
The No. 177 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft set several records, including the most receptions (105) and receiving yards (1,486) in a rookie season, most receptions by a rookie in a game (15) and most receiving yards by a rookie in a playoff game (181).
Coming off one of the greatest rookie seasons in NFL history will be difficult to follow, but Nacua is doing his best to be even better in 2024.
Wide receivers coach Eric Yarber revealed that the second-year wide receiver has been going to teammate Cooper Kupp’s house for early-morning workouts, and he’s in noticeably better shape.
“His body is totally different,” Yarber said via Sarah Barshop of ESPN. “He looks just like Cooper. He’s lost so much body fat and gained so much lean muscle, which enabled him to move more efficiently now. And he has better body control. But he did exactly what I said. And you’re seeing some of the results right now.”
Injuries have hindered Kupp’s production since his 2021 Offensive Player of the Year campaign in 2021 (145 catches for 1,947 yards and 16 touchdowns), but that allowed Los Angeles to see what it had in Nacua last year.
Yarber says his biggest advice for Nacua heading into his first NFL offseason was to take care of his body the same way that Kupp does and he’s done exactly that.
“The first thing I wanted him to do is hold on to Cooper Kupp’s coattails and train with him and do everything he does,” Yarber added. “And he took that to heart.”
Only time will tell whether Nacua will take his play to another level, especially if Kupp is finally healthy, but either way, Nacua isn’t feeling any pressure.
“No, not really,” Nacua said on NFL Network’s Schedule Release 2024. “I think coming into this year, I think it definitely presents a challenge of just trying to reset the standard. … I’m super excited for the challenges that come up this year.”
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