Rams Rookie Class: NFL's Best in 2023?
After bottoming out in 2022 just months after the winning the Super Bowl, the Los Angeles Rams had something to prove in 2023.
They returned to glory this past season by getting back to the playoffs ... and a large amount of credit should be given to the draft class the Rams had this season.
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Led by fifth-round receiver Puka Nacua, the newest Rams helped the team improve by five games. Considering their last contender was built through trades, it's refreshing to see Los Angeles win in this fashion, especially given the sustainability it can have for future seasons.
ESPN ranked each team's rookie class for the 2023 season and placed the Rams at No. 2 behind only the Houston Texans.
"Obviously, the highlight here is fifth-round wide receiver Puka Nacua, who broke the all-time rookie NFL records for both receptions (105) and receiving yards (1,486)," ESPN writes. "However, the Rams also got eight sacks from edge rusher Byron Young and nine sacks from defensive tackle Kobie Turner. Both were taken in the third round. And second-round pick Steve Avila was the starter all year at left guard for a surprisingly capable offensive line."
Nacua, Turner, Young and Avila are all potential cornerstones for the Rams for years to come, so the fact that Los Angeles could net all of them in the same draft beyond the first round is very important in terms of the team's development.
Now, the Rams have a first-round pick to work with, and another home run draft class could catapult Los Angeles back in the NFL's contender sector.
