NFL News NFL News, Reports and Updates
Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua signs autographs for fans at the end of a training session on Saturday at Loyola Marymount. (Damian Dovarganes / Associated Press)
The murmur begins the moment Puka Nacua rounds a corner and walks onto the field at Loyola Marymount.
“There he is!”
It quickly erupts into near-hysteric calls of recognition, amplified every time the Rams receiver makes a play during practice.
“Puka! Puka!”
By the end of a workout, when Nacua trots in front of bleachers awash in fans wearing No. 17 jerseys, the cacophony becomes a sustained crescendo.
“P-u-u-u-ka!”
Read more: Rams bolster secondary by signing cornerback Jerry Jacobs
“This is the best energy,” Nacua said of the training camp atmosphere. “I love it.”
Nacua, 23, is coming off a record-setting rookie season in 2023.
With star receiver and mentor Cooper Kupp sidelined for the first four games with a hamstring injury, Nacua, a fifth-round draft pick, burst onto the scene as quarterback Matthew Stafford’s favorite target.
Using a physical style and acrobatic body control, Nacua had 105 catches for 1,486 yards and six touchdowns. His emergence helped the Rams finish the season with a better-than-anticipated 10-7 record and a playoff appearance.
Nacua enjoyed a busy offseason. He made the Pro Bowl Games in Florida, attended NFL Honors at the Super Bowl in Las Vegas and played in the celebrity game during NBA All-Star weekend in Indiana.
While much has changed for him — he signed with Nike’s Jordan Brand among other endorsements — Nacua has remained humble, coach Sean McVay said.
“He’s stayed the same guy,” McVay said, adding, “He has this authenticity to him … why everybody loves him.
“But when he goes in between those white lines, he is a maniac.”
Read more: Where can you attend five NFL training camps in one day? Only in Southern California
Nacua credits Kupp for providing the example for success.
“I have five brothers in my own family, but I feel like Coop’s been the…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/rams-receiver-puka-nacua-creates-100021089.html
Author : LA Times
Publish date : 2024-07-29 10:00:21
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
