In a spectacular start to his NFL career, Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua has set the all-time rookie records for catches and receiving yards in a season.
Nacua, a fifth-round pick out of BYU, tied former AFL star Bill Groman’s benchmark of 1,473 yards on a 19-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Carson Wentz in the first quarter of Sunday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers.
He broke the yardage record on his next catch on a 7-yard reception early in the third quarter — in the process tying Jaylen Waddle’s two-year-old rookie receptions record of 104.
And Nacua completed the task on the next play, a 6-yard catch, for his 105th of the season.
Nacua may not see much more playing time to add onto those rookie records. The Rams, having already clinched a playoff spot, are resting most of their key players, including starting quarterback Matthew Stafford, running back Kyren Williams and wide receiver Cooper Kupp.
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Groman set the record in 1960 with the AFL’s Houston Oilers. More recently, the Vikings’ Justin Jefferson (1,400 yards in 2020) and the Bengals’ Ja’ Marr Chase (1,455 in 2021) have come close but come up just short.
