Puka Nacua named one of the most versatile players in the NFL
· Yahoo Sports
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua is already known as one of the league's best offensive players. But he can also be considered one of the most versatile players in the NFL, according to Ted Nguyen of The Athletic.
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Nacua's inclusion on the list stems from a rare combination of blocking ability and receiving production that few players at his position can match. Nguyen called him the best blocking receiver in the league and noted that the Rams have increasingly used him in ways that blur the line between wide receiver and tight end.
Coach Sean McVay was a pioneer in the idea of 11.5 personnel — three receiver sets but with receivers who block like tight ends — going back to his time with Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods. Now, the Rams are straight up asking Nacua to block edge defenders like a tight end and folding him inside to the second level.
When they use play action off of these looks, Nacua is unstoppable. But he could also just line up outside as a true X receiver and make the most spectacular downfield catches against man coverage. He’s out for blood whenever he has the ball in his hands.
Nacua led the league in yards per route run (3.71), inching out Jaxon Smith-Njigba (3.68), the reigning Offensive Player of the Year. Both players were more than a full yard ahead of the next receiver. While Smith-Njigba is the better pure receiver, Nacua’s ability as a blocker creates opportunities for him in the play-action game, and his impact on the run game can’t be discounted.
Nacua, 24, is entering his third NFL season and has developed into one of the more complete receivers in the league. Apart from his ability to block well in McVay's offense, he already has the most average receiving yards per game in NFL history at 95.3. Nacua is consistent, too, with a 17-game season average of 121 receptions for 1,619 yards and seven touchdowns. Those are insane numbers for a third-year player, and he'll likely command one of the highest receiver salaries in the NFL when the Rams inevitably give him a new deal this year or next.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Puka Nacua named one of the most versatile players in the NFL