4 Rams named to All-Rookie team despite L.A. not having 1st round pick

C.J. Stroud won the PFWA Rookie of the Year over Rams’ Puka Nacua

The Los Angeles Rams placed four players on the Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie team for 2023, including a second round pick, two third round picks, and a fifth round pick made by Les Snead last year: G Steve Avila, OLB Byron Young, DT Kobie Turner, and WR Puka Nacua.

Nacua, one of the favorites for the AP’s Rookie of the Year award, lost out to Houston Texans QB C.J. Stroud for the PFWA award.

The four players is the most of any team in the NFL even though the L.A. Rams did not have a first round pick. Snead made 14 selections in the draft though and his first three-Avila, Young, Turner-made the All-Rookie team. Of the remaining 11, not including Nacua, the Rams added their punter Ethan Evans, a promising tight end in Davis Allen, and additional edge help in Nick Hampton and Ochaun Mathis. Tre Tomlinson was also fourth on the team in special teams snaps.

Nacua set the NFL rookie records for catches and yards in a season and then had a dominant wild card performance against the Lions, setting another record with 181 yards on nine catches.

Turner tied Aaron Donald’s rookie record for sacks in a season, with nine.