Although the Los Angeles Rams were lauded for the defensive players they took in the 2024 NFL Draft, it shouldn’t overshadow some of their other Day 3 picks.
The most intriguing name is wide receiver Jordan Whittington, whom the Rams took in the sixth round out of Texas. In a loaded receiver class, Whittington flew under the radar despite a solid career for the Longhorns and landed with Los Angeles, who has become known for finding talent in the latter rounds of the draft.
Whittington will be learning behind Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua during his rookie year, but could earn a role on special teams from the jump. Although this period of the offseason is typically information overload for first-year players, Whittington believes he was prepared well for the transition because of his experience at Texas, via Stu Jackson of TheRams.com:
“One thing that I can say I took from Texas, and I know that other receivers in my room (there) did, we learned concept-based, and I think that directly translates to this offense,” Whittington told theRams.com. “So just learning it as a concept, the words change, but most of the concepts are somewhat similar. So I think we did a good job at Texas by learning concept-based.”
Although players would like to hit the ground running, Whittington knows that it’ll take time and he’s allowing himself to navigate things as they come:
“This is a new process,” Whittington said. “Like I said, there’s gonna be growing pains, there’s always adjustments and being able to adjust when you’re just starting something. So I’m going through that phase right now of learning, being able to learn, and then at some point, I’ll get that down, move on to the next thing. You just keep on just keep on stacking these days. So that’s what I’ve been focused on.”
Whittington may not be a burner, but he’s got good size and hands and is able to play all three receiver positions. His versatility and football IQ could earn him a role early on, and it’ll be interesting to see how head coach Sean McVay chooses to utilize him.
Puka Nacua not feeling pressure to live up to historic Rams’ rookie season
Puka Nacua blew up on the scene as a rookie as he quickly established himself as one of Matthew Stafford’s go-to targets en route to breaking multiple records. Although expectations are sky-high for Nacua and the Rams heading into 2024, he said he’s not feeling any pressure.
