Puka Nacua Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Watch: Rams' Puka Nacua takes 70-yarder to the house to reach 1,000 yards

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated 12/3/23

If not for Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud having a record-setting season, Los Angeles Rams receiver Puka Nacua would likely be the front-runner for the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year award.

Nacua, a 2023 fifth-round pick, became the 30th receiver in NFL history to reach 1,000 yards as a rookie when he split two Cleveland Browns defenders and took a Matthew Stafford pass 70 yards for a touchdown.

Puka just got to 1,000 yards receiving in style

: #CLEvsLAR on FOX
: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/xvCjbLUIcN pic.twitter.com/1IyirUQ5KW
— NFL (@NFL) December 3, 2023

It was Nacua’s longest reception of the season, and his only reception this year longer than 40 yards. It was also the Rams' longest pass play of the season, and the only one to go longer than 50 yards.

The catch put Nacua at 1,006 yards a little over 11 minutes into the first quarter. He’s now just 29 receptions and 468 yards away from breaking the NFL rookie records held by Jaylen Waddle and Bill Groman, respectively.

Nacua also needs just 18 more yards for his fifth 100-yard game of the season. He began the year with back-to-back 100-yard performances but has had just two in the nine games since.

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