Secret metrics behind Rams ‘special’ Puka Nacua selection as Megatron tips WR to break his NFL record
Puka Nacua has been the NFL’s most explosive wide receiver in 2025.
And he has carried it into the postseason.
In the first half of the Rams’ Wild Card game against the Carolina Panthers, Nacua scored two touchdowns, one receiving touchdown and one rushing touchdown.
During the game, Fox analyst Greg Olsen said Nacua might be the best offensive player in the league.
And he just might be.
Nacua helped lead the Rams to a 12–5 record and finished the season with 129 receptions, which led the league, along with 1,715 yards and 10 touchdowns.
The talent was clearly there from Day 1, even if he slipped all the way to the fifth round of the NFL Draft, and plans to retire at 30.
Nacua was eventually selected by the Rams with the 177th overall pick in 2023, which seems like a steal now.
He fell so far amid concerns about his athletic ability, less-than-dominant college production, and perceived lack of speed and acceleration — which saw him clock a 4.57s 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine.
That was slower than the likes of Zay Flowers, Jordan Addison and Smith-Njigba, who were all first-round selections two years ago.
But according to ESPN’s NFL insider Dan Graziano, Nacua’s pre-draft measurables were never going to be an issue for the Rams, who had their own way of grading draft prospects.
Secret metrics allowed Rams to spot Nacua’s NFL potential
“So, he didn’t run fast in the pre-draft process,” Graziano began, speaking exclusively to talkSPORT about why the rookie fell so far.
“His 40-yard dash time wasn’t any good, so that obviously knocks down receivers.
“But the Rams would tell you that they have their own sort of proprietary metric whereby they measure speed — a lot of teams do.
“It’s game film, as opposed to 40 time in Indianapolis, that kind of thing.
“So they thought this was a guy that people are going to overlook because he doesn’t have the measurables.
“But the way we measure and evaluate him, we think he can be special for us in our system.”
“So he hits right away as a rookie, obviously.”
In his first season, Nacua caught six touchdowns en-route to setting the rookie record for receiving yards.
But injuries limited him to just 11 games in 2024, and he finished with 990 yards and three TDs.
Now in Year 3, Nacua certainly looks healthy again, and Graziano believes his explosive start to the season is partly down to the arrival of a six-time Pro Bowler.
If he continues this form, he could soon be in line for a big payday, too.
How are the Rams getting the best out of Nacua?
“This offseason, they got rid of Cooper Kupp and they bring in Davante Adams, who at this time in history is a better player than Kupp,” Graziano explained.
“And you see it when they’re playing. You know, against the (Philadelphia) Eagles — Quinyon Mitchell goes with Adams the whole game.
“That tells you how other teams are looking at Nacua, relative to Adams.
“He’s not a guy that’s going to be a great separator downfield and get open like crazy, but he’ll win contested catches. He plays physically, he’s hard to tackle.
“He’ll block in the run game, which the Rams want their receivers to do.
“So yeah, he’s been an exceptional player for them, and we’re coming up on the end of Year 3, which is time to pay a guy.
“The start he’s had, he could have a historic season and be in the conversation with the highest-paid receivers pretty soon.”
What NFL record could Nacua break in the future?
Nacua was on pace to surpass the 2,000-yard mark—a milestone no wide receiver has ever reached—but finished just under 300 yards shy.
Calvin Johnson came closest in 2012 and holds the current single season record with 1,964 yards.
NFL all-time receiving leaders
No player has ever reached 2,000 receiving yards in a single season. Nacua is on course to pass that number in Week 16.
- Calvin Johnson – 2012 – 1,964 yards
- Cooper Kupp – 2021 – 1947 yards
- Julio Jones – 2015 – 1,871 yards
- Jerry Rice – 1995 – 1,848 yards
- Antonio Brown – 2015 – 1,834 yards
Megatron is on record stating that he believes Nacua could eventually do it.
“Yeah, he definitely could,” Johnson told Athlon Sports early this year.
“He can go for 2,000.”
That would have been a historic achievement, and while it didn’t happen this year, it wouldn’t be surprising if Nacua eventually reaches it.
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