The Los Angeles Rams made 14 total selections in the 2023 NFL draft and two of their picks in the final three rounds were Puka Nacua and Zach Evans. The Athletic’s Nick Baumgardner named his Day 3 draft sleepers who could contribute immediately and both Nacua and Evans were highlighted.
Here is part of what Baumgardner had to say about Nacua ahead of his rookie campaign:
When he’s healthy, though, he’s one of the best in this class at tracking the ball. He’s a very confident athlete who isn’t afraid to compete in the air — and he has the frame (6-1, 210) to do so. Nacua runs routes with great quickness but stays under control. He also adjusts to poor throws and maintains his feet near the sideline, and he finds soft spots in zones with consistency.
He could be a QB-friendly receiver for Matthew Stafford and the Rams. Receivers like Nacua who understand how to get open and aren’t afraid to play through contact tend to do just fine in the league.
The Rams picked Nacua with the 177th overall pick in the fifth round out of BYU. Despite having injury concerns in college, Nacua flashed upside as a versatile wideout that could be deployed in a variety of ways (he had 39 rushing attempts for 357 yards and five touchdowns in two seasons at BYU).
With Cooper Kupp and Van Jefferson expected to hold the top two spots on the depth chart, Nacua could instantly compete for a role in the offense at the wide receiver position. Tutu Atwell and Ben Skowronek are the other wide receivers that will be competing for a starting spot.
Meanwhile, Evans made Baumgardner’s “others to watch” list. Evans, a sixth-round pick out of Ole Miss, is a big-play running back that averaged 7.3 yards per touch in his three collegiate seasons.
Considering that Cam Akers has struggled to generate yards consistently at the NFL level, and Kyren Williams didn’t receive much usage as a rookie in 2022, Evans could carve out a role sooner rather than later.
