Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua is quickly evolving from a breakout rookie sensation into one of the most complete pass-catchers in the NFL—and now, the numbers back it up across the board.
According to Lauren Gray of Pro Football Focus, Nacua was one of just two wide receivers in the entire league to rank in the top four against both man and zone coverage in 2024. The other? Nico Collins. That means Nacua outperformed or matched perennial stars like Ja’Marr Chase, Mike Evans, A.J. Brown, and Justin Jefferson in arguably the league’s most revealing metric for individual wide receiver efficiency.
“Nacua missed five games in 2024 but still led the league in target rate against man coverage (40%) and yards after the catch (211). … He was the only receiver outside of A.J. Brown to force double-digit missed tackles (10) on man-coverage targets,” Gray wrote.
“He earned a 90.4 zone PFF receiving grade in his rookie 2023 season and followed that up with a 92.3 mark in 2024. … Nacua averaged 5.8 yards after the catch and finished in the top 10 in missed tackles forced (10) and first downs (32) on zone targets.”
Puka Nacua Destroys Coverages — Man And Zone
The numbers are staggering, but they only tell part of the story. Nacua has blossomed into a do-everything receiver in Sean McVay’s system, combining size, football IQ, route nuance, and elite after-the-catch ability. He’s done it all while adjusting to the departure of Cooper Kupp and learning from one of the game’s greatest technicians in Davante Adams, whom the Rams signed this offseason to take pressure off the young star.
Adams himself had high praise for Nacua’s approach and skillset:
“He’s got a lot more tools than what I even knew before. … I’ve got a lot of respect for his game and his approach. It just makes it more fun for me to share the secrets, the different tools, and the small nuances that go into wide receiver play,” Adams said.
General Manager Les Snead echoed that sentiment, noting the Rams aren’t trying to overload Nacua by turning him into the sole focal point of the offense, but rather allowing him to evolve naturally into an elite go-to option.
“We’re not asking him to score every point tonight, but there are going to be times where he’s going to need to rebound. … That will probably happen naturally and grow into it,” Snead said.
Los Angeles Rams’ Modern Day Larry Fitzgerald?
Nacua’s numbers already rival the best. Through just 28 games, he’s posted 184 receptions for 2,476 yards and nine touchdowns, averaging nearly 98 receiving yards per game when playing at least 75% of snaps. That’s Larry Fitzgerald-type output, as Underdog’s Hayden Winks recently noted:
“Puka Nacua is Gen Z Larry Fitzgerald to me,” Winks said. “They use him everywhere. He’s more than throwing his weight around in the run department. The total package.”
Now entering Year 3, Nacua has the benefit of added weapons around him—Adams, a healthy Matthew Stafford, and a bolstered offensive line. That means fewer double teams and more mismatches for one of the NFL’s most polished young wideouts.
With a potential contract extension looming—one that could surpass Ja’Marr Chase’s record $40 million per year—Nacua seems poised for a monster campaign in 2025. In reality, if healthy, Nacua could earn a larger payday from the Rams than Chase got from the Bengals. And, if the first two years were just the start, the rest of the league should remain on notice.