Nacua and Adams Miss Out on NFL Top 10 Wide Receivers Spot

There is no denying that Puka Nacua and Davante Adams stand out as one of the most potent wide receiver combinations in the NFL. However, when evaluated individually, neither of them is considered within the top 10 of their role according to coaches, executives, and scouts. ESPN recently conducted a survey of talent assessors throughout the league to determine the uppermost 10 wide receivers, in which both Nacua and Adams failed to be included.

Although they were featured as honorable mentions alongside four other receivers, they didn’t manage to secure spots in the highly sought-after top ten list. The exclusion of both receivers has sparked conversations about whether they could have been ranked a lot higher. This surprising outcome has elicited varied reactions across the league.

Notably, one NFL defensive coach expressed surprise when Nacua didn’t secure a spot within the top ten of the list. In contrast, an AFC executive explained that Nacua ‘might not possess the superior skill set as some others included in the list’. The honorable mentions, if they were arranged based on the number of votes received, would place Nacua at twelfth place and Adams at sixteenth for the best receiver selections.

Both Nacua and Adams’s rankings as the 12th and 16th best receivers respectively, are arguably lower than what many would expect. ESPN’s top 10 wide receiver poll ultimately included the likes of Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, Tyreek Hill, CeeDee Lamb, A.J. Brown, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Malik Nabers, Nico Collins, Mike Evans, and Garrett Wilson.

The feedback about Adams, who sat at the fifth position in this very same poll the previous season, was quite noteworthy. A particular NFL coordinator commented, ‘Upon careful observation, he perfectly personifies what a quintessential ‘X’ receiver should be’.

What is compelling is that since the 2020 season, Adams has made 59 touchdown receptions, the highest number made by any player in the league during this period. Similarly, since Nacua’s entry into the NFL in 2023, he has maintained an average of 88.4 receiving yards per match. His record places him fourth in the list of players with the highest average receiving yards.

The impressive stats don’t stop there. Adams has achieved the ninth-highest count of catches since 2023, while Nacua is right behind him at number ten. This ranking is particularly noteworthy when considering both players have participated in fewer games compared to the eight players who boast more receptions over the last couple of years.

With the season’s conclusion on the horizon, there is a considerable chance that both Adams and Nacua could ascend into the top 10. Their progression is contingent upon their ability to maintain their health and meet the lofty expectations that have been set for them as team members.

Significant achievements may be awaiting this revamped duo in the Rams team. The potential they demonstrated, individually and collectively, is bound to spark curiosity among coaches, executives, scouts, and fans alike – solidifying their position as a worthy wide receiver pair in the NFL.