Los Angeles Rams superstar wide receiver Puka Nacua is no stranger to breaking records. In his first season out of BYU as a fifth-round draft pick, the Utah native broke the single-season record for receiving yards as a rookie with 1,486. He propelled a Rams squad that had one of the worst Super Bowl-winning hangovers in 2022 to return to the playoffs in 2023, nearly beating the Detroit Lions in a game where he put up 181 yards, the most ever from a rookie in the playoffs.
Last night at SoFi Stadium, he continued adding to his already growing legacy, becoming the first player in NFL history to catch 50 receptions in the first five weeks of the season for his team. On a team that now deploys Davante Adams, one of the premier pass catchers of the current century, Nacua has established himself not only as the No. 1 receiver on the Rams but possibly in all of football.
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In only five weeks, Nacua has put up a staggering 588 yards catching the ball, putting him on pace to challenge Detroit Lions legend Calvin Johnson (also quarterbacked by Matthew Stafford and his single-season record of 1,964 yards in 2012. Nacua is also currently rated the No. 1 wide receiver in the league by Pro Football Focus, carrying an overall grade of 92.7 out of 100, a little over a quarter through the season.
Next up for Nacua and the Rams will be a visit to Baltimore next Sunday. The Ravens have given up over 30 points in three of the four games they’ve played this season, offering up what could be another opportunity for Nacua to extend his already growing lead in receiving yards for the year.
This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Puka Nacua breaks record with 50 catches in first five games of season