Rams standout rookie receiver named 'draft day steal' following strong preseason

The Los Angeles Rams probably don’t have another Puka Nacua on their hands.

But there’s a little deja vu happening around the team right now.

Jordan Whittington, a sixth-round pick by the Rams at No. 213 overall, made a bang in his pro debut with six catches for 74 yards in the team’s preseason opener.

Yes, it was just the preseason, but it was quite the introduction for a prospect who only managed 505 yards and one score at Texas last year, good for fourth on the team’s receiving chart behind two wideouts and a tight end.

As such, Whittington now has some national attention in the form of being crowned as one of the top 10 rookie steals so far, courtesy of Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox :

“While it was against mostly backups, Whittington looked comfortable on an NFL field, was consistently open and frequently presented the quarterback with an easy target. While he's probably not going to replicate Nacua's 2023 success, the rookie has a chance to be one of the biggest surprises of this season.”

Similar things were probably written and said about Nacua last year after he arrived in Los Angeles via the fifth round—before he caught 105 passes for 1,486 yards and six scores, earning a Pro Bowl nod and other accolades.

It would be unfair to dump similar expectations on Whittington, especially when Nacua, Cooper Kupp and others occupy the depth chart. But the fact a prospect who fell outside the top 200 already looks this reliable means he’s got a shot to make the 53 and be a key depth piece, should injuries impact the Matthew Stafford-led offense.

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