Six Los Angeles Rams players have been named to the Pro Football Focus (PFF) list of the Top 101 players in the NFL. Notably, Cooper Kupp is not among the players!
The PFF Top 101
According to Sports Illustrated, PFF is a “sports analytics company that grades the performance of every NFL player….”
In PFF’s own words, its “grading system was founded on the principle of grading ‘production’ rather than traits or measurables….” PFF “evaluates every player on every play during a football game.”
Based on its analytics, PFF rates the following players as the Top Ten of the 2023 Season:
- Miles Garrett – Cleveland Browns (Edge)
- Tyreek Hill – Miami Dolphins (Wide Receiver)
- Micah Parsons – Dallas Cowboys (Edge)
- Patrick Mahomes – Kansas City Chiefs (Quarterback)
- Christian McCaffery – San Francisco 49ers (Running Back)
- Nick Bosa – San Francisco 49ers (Edge)
- Lamar Jackson – Baltimore Raves (Quarterback)
- Dexter Lawrence – New York Giants (Defensive Tackle)
- Cedee Lamb – Dallas Cowboys (Wide Receiver)
- Penei Sewell – Detroit Lions (Tackle)
Each of the 32 NFL teams have at least one player on the 2023 Top 101 list.
The San Francisco 49ers have the most, with ten.
13 teams have only one player on the list. Those 13 teams are:
- Las Vegas Raiders
- Buffalo Bills
- Carolina Panthers
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Tennessee Titans
- Indianapolis Colts
- New England Patriots
- Seattle Seahawks
- Arizona Cardinals
- Green Bay Packers
- Washington Caommanders
- Denver Broncos
Only five teams (49ers, Dolphins, Cowboys, Chiefs, and Lions) have more than the Rams.
The Six Los Angeles Rams on the PFF Top 101 List
Here are the six Rams players on the 2023 Top 101 list:
- #21 – Puka Nacua (Wide Receiver)
- #24 – Aaron Donald (Defensive Tackle)
- #58 – Matthew Stafford (Quarterback)
- #74 – Kyren Williams (Running Back)
- #87 – Kobie Turner (Defensive Tackle)
- #98 – Kevin Dotson (Right Guard)
As noted above, Cooper Kupp, the 2021 NFL Offensive Player of the Year, is not included on the list. This is undoubtedly attributable to the circumstance that Kupp was sidelined by injuries for a substantial part of the season. Kupp was the No. 3 rated player on PFF’s 2021 Top 101 list.
Of course, much is already known about multiple-time All-Pro players, Aaron Donald and Matthew Stafford. So, here is a little more information about the other four Rams players who made the PFF Top 101 list — Kobie Turner, Kyren Williams, Kevin Dotson, and Puka Nacua:
1. Kobie Turner
The Rams drafted Kobie Turner out of Wake Forest University in the third round of the 2023 draft. The Rams’ nose tackle was among five finalists for the NFL’s 2023 Defensive Rookie of the Year after a historic rookie season by a defensive lineman.
How impressive was Turner’s rookie season? He tied Aaron Donald’s franchise rookie record of nine sacks in the regular season, he had 57 tackles (eight for loss), 16 QB hits, and two passed while playing in all 17 games for Los Angeles and started in four of them.
2. Kyren Williams
Kyren Williams is 23 years old. The Rams drafted him out of Notre Dame. They selected him in the fifth round, with the 164th overall pick. In his final season at Notre Dame, Williams was a second-team All-American.
In the 2023 season, Williams rushed for 1,144 yards, with an average of 6.4 yards per carry. He scored 12 touchdowns. He was a second-team All-Pro.
3. Kevin Dotson
The Rams just re-signed Kevin Dotson to a massive three-year $48 million contract extension. The starting right guard, was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2020 NFL Draft and then traded to the Rams in 2023.
Dotson, who played his college ball for the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajus, started 14 games for the Rams in the 2023 season.
As reported by NBC Los Angeles, Dotson “became one of the NFL’s top-rated guards and a pillar of the Rams’ offense last season after they acquired him from Pittsburgh in training camp.” Throughout the 2023 season, Dotson excelled as a run-blocker[,] while … committing only two penalties….” He allowed only four sacks on the season.
4. Puka Nacua
Ram Digest FN (sports Illustrated) aptly observes: “The Los Angeles Rams got an absolute steal with Puka Nacua in the 2023 NFL Draft.” In a Bleacher Report re-do of the 2023 Draft, Nacua goes to the Philadelphia Eagles with the tenth overall pick. That’s a significant ascension from the place where Nacua was actually selected — the very last pick of the fifth round (the 177th overall selection).
In the 2023 season, Nacua had 1,486 receiving yards, with an average of 14.2 yards gained per catch. He also caught six touchdown passes. He broke the NFL records for receptions and receiving yards.
As a rookie, Nacua was named an Associated Press second-team All Pro. In the opinion of Tyreek Hill, Nakua is among the top five wide receives in the NFL right now!
Bright Future for the Talented and (Mostly) Young Los Angeles Rams
With the talented, fresh new faces discussed above joining forces with All-Pro veterans like Stafford, Donald, and Cupp, the Rams’ future looks bright. Also, for the first time in many years, the Rams have a full slate of draft picks. Things are looking up for the Rams!