Rams rookie Puka Nacua has started his career like no other player in NFL history.
Nacua had 10 catches in his first NFL game and 15 catches in his second, setting a new NFL rookie record for catches in a game and a new record for most catches in the first two games of his NFL career.
No one could expect Nacua to continue at this pace, but if he even comes close he can shatter some NFL records.
At his current pace of 12.5 catches per game, Nacua would catch 213 passes in a 17-game season. The NFL record for catches in a season is 149 by Michael Thomas in 2019, and the rookie record is 104 by Jaylen Waddle in 2021.
Nacua’s 266 receiving yards puts him on a pace of 133 yards a game, which translates to 2,261 in a 17-game season. The NFL record for receiving yards in a season is 1,964 by Clavin Johnson in 2012, and the rookie record is 1,473 by Bill Groman in 1960.
As a fifth-round pick who didn’t have a particularly productive college career at Washington and BYU, Nacua was expected to just compete for a roster spot as a rookie. Instead he looks like he could have one of the most special rookie seasons in NFL history.