Los Angeles Rams star wide receiver Puka Nacua is preparing for his second NFL season. And he’ll have to have quite the year to top what he did in his rookie campaign. T
he fifth-round pick out of BYU stormed onto the scene, breaking the all-time NFL rookie record for both receptions and receiving yards in a first season. Now, he has established himself as the No. 1 option in a receiver room that includes former Offensive Player of the Year Cooper Kupp.
His rookie season earned him plenty of recognition, although he did end up loosing Offensive Rookie of the Year to Houston Texans quarterback CJ Stroud. But he was still widely praised for what he accomplished and is seen as a cornerstone for the Rams, even as they possibly look to add more to their offense in the 2024 NFL Draft.
And perhaps his biggest piece of recognition to date has finally come through in the form of an endorsement deal with Jordan Brand, becoming only the second player from the 2023 NFL Draft to land a deal with that brand, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN:
Brand Jordan has not signed any players in this year’s draft class, but it has signed Rams WR Puka Nacua to a multi-year endorsement agreement. Nacua, the No. 177th selection in last year’s draft, now joins Brand Jordan ambassador Bryce Young, last year’s No. 1 overall pick.… pic.twitter.com/Dsxl9rvw9e
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 25, 2024
Nacua took to Instagram to share the announcement himself via a photoshoot for the brand:
Nacua has more than earned this kind of deal after the way he performed in 2023. He formed an instant chemistry with Kupp and Matthew Stafford and rose the ranks to be one of the most productive receivers in all of football last season.
Now, he can follow up with an incredible sophomore campaign to help the Rams secure another postseason berth.
Rams’ Kobie Turner motivated by not winning DROY award
The Rams found a couple of absolute steals in the 2023 NFL Draft. While wide receiver Puka Nacua garnered a ton of attention, defensive tackle Kobie Turner, a third-round pick, had an absolutely outstanding rookie year that led to him being a finalist for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Turner wound up finishing third in the voting behind Houston Texans pass rusher Will Anderson Jr. and Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter despite leading all rookies in sacks with nine and having more total tackles than both of the other finalists. But Turner simply used it as motivation to get better this offseason.
Turner revealed that while he was frustrated at the outcome, he immediately reached out to his former Rams teammate Aaron Donald to put him in contact with his trainer Al ‘Poodie’ Carson so he could get right to work.
