Puka Nacua explains how Davante Adams teaches him
After two years studying underneath veteran receiver Cooper Kupp, third-year wideout Puka Nacua has a brand new instructor in Davante Adams. The six-time Professional Bowl and three-time All-Professional brings a brand new perspective to the Rams after he spent his earlier time with the Inexperienced Bay Packers, Las Vegas Raiders and New York Jets.
However for Nacua, Adams helps him perceive one thing equally as necessary as route-running and receiving: The way to shield his physique. Nacua instructed Yahoo Sports activities’ Jori Epstein that as a result of he and Adams each run routes over the center of the sector, Adams reminded the younger receiver that he does not all the time must take contact on these routes. Nacua additionally realized to look at the shoulder peak of his defender to select the best angle he must take.
“I all the time take the contact and say that I am larger than someone,” Nacua stated. “We get to the break level, I am going to shrug you off and be capable of run and get the ball. However it positively does avoid wasting shoulder ache when you possibly can win from unfavorable leverage and never run into individuals on a regular basis.”
One other factor Nacua is now trying into extra now after watching Adams is the best way to launch within the pink zone — particularly “how he tries to marry up his slant with the fade.”
“We do not run a ton of stuff outdoors the numbers due to how condensed our offense is,” Nacua stated, “however making an attempt to determine, on my slant launch [how] he is heading as much as inside leverage and to threaten outdoors. I’d take the slant as sort of a pace launch for the fade ball after which with the ability to work sort of a false acceleration into the slant.”
These two classes are the innocuous benefits of signing Adams. The Rams knew they’d get star pass-catcher based mostly on his manufacturing, sport tape and expertise, however how he is been capable of affect the develop of the crew’s younger offensive gamers can’t be quantified by stats.
Nacua is already the most effective younger receivers within the NFL. Now he’ll get a crash course in how Adams performs receiver in Yr 3. That must be large for his growth, and it already seems just like the tutelage is paying off earlier than the Rams even hit the sector.