Puka Nakua‘s latest practice session was perhaps his best yet! He is one of the Rams‘ top receivers. Last season, he had 79 catches for 990 yards and scored 4 touchdowns across 11 games in 2024. But no matter how impressive one is, there is no harm in learning. And this year, the Rams# 12 just had a golden opportunity. He is eagerly excited to team up with his power player teammates and gear up for action in the preseason. But before that, he seems very proud to have learnt one skill from his teammate.
And the teammate is none other than Davante Adams, who was brought to the WR room earlier in March. This was definitely a boost for the L.A. Rams. Now, this is a good thing, especially after their offense slipped to 20th in scoring last season. But maybe even more important, it was the most perfect opportunity for Nacua to keep sharpening his already impressive game while learning from one of the best in the league. The Rams# 12 couldn’t be more excited about having Adams in the building.
During training camp at Loyola Marymount University, Nacua urged Adams to take the lead in drills, just so he could take a step back and study his game and learn from him. “There was respect from him coming in, saying, ‘I don’t want to push you out of the way, or to try to take your spot,’ or that I should be up there No. 1, but it’s something (where) I have a huge amount of respect for his game, and I’m blessed to be around people like Coop, and to have Davante come in,” Nacua said.
That kind of admiration isn’t anything new. From the moment Adams signed with the team, Nacua showed his respect. How? He even gave up his No. 17 jersey that he’d worn for two seasons for the Rams. The 24-year-old switched back to his college number, 12, without much hesitation.
So, did he learn anything from Adams? “His illusion of speed and lateral quickness is something I’m trying to add to my game in the way that it fits my skill set,” Nacua said in a training camp press conference. He is already ahead in learning skills from the veteran. He further added, “I wouldn’t say there’s a lot of people that can replicate some of the things that he can do, but I try to understand the movement so I can add it to my game.”
And well, even if he had missed anything, Nakua will have the tapes to follow back on. When a young star like the Rans’ player is willing to take a step back just to learn, you know something special is brewing. Nakua even hinted at it!
Puka Nacua is thrilled to team up with Matthew Stafford and Davante Adams
Talking to NFL Network, Nacua couldn’t stop raving about Matthew Stafford and Adams. He even claimed that there’s no one like Stafford and that he’s never caught passes as perfect as the ones Stafford throws. “I just want to see Matthew Stafford spin it. That’s my favorite part of the day. You wouldn’t believe how different the ball looks coming out of Matthew Stafford’s hand,” Nacua said.
As we know, the former BYU Cougars speak quite highly of Adams and added that he is the leader of the wide receiver room. And not just the practice sessions or training camp, he is learning a lot from Adams during the other times too.
“Davante, as soon as he stepped into the facility, has been fantastic. The ability to learn the game from another all-time great has been, I feel like I’m stealing. I’m like a kid in the candy store. I’ve had Matthew Stafford, Sean McVay, Cooper Kupp, and now Davante Adams,” he explained.
He hinted that something special is brewing in L.A. with him teaming up with the veterans. “We’ve got some speed, we got a bunch of young guys who are excited to play, and 17 is going to lead the way for us, and it’s gonna be fantastic to be out there on the football field with him,” he added. This is his final year of his contract with the Rams, and yet to sign a deal with the team. But he isn’t thinking about it. That would be if he can make an impressive run with Adams and Stafford. All in all, Nacua seems to be in a great spot.
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