The Los Angeles Rams might have another future star at wide receiver on their hands. Jordan Whittington, who was drafted by the Rams in the sixth round this year, stood out in a big way during his preseason debut against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.
He caught six passes for 74 yards, including a 30-yarder on the opening drive where he broke a tackle and picked up big yardage after the catch. In a game where the Rams offense struggled to maintain possession because of Stetson Bennett’s four interceptions, Whittington shined at SoFi Stadium.
After the win, Sean McVay had a telling statement about the rookie receiver. He told reporters that Whittington is “going to be a factor” for the Rams, which has to be encouraging for the Texas product to hear.
“He’s going to be a factor for us” – Sean McVay on Jordan Whittington
— Stu Jackson (@StuJRams) August 11, 2024
Even after this outstanding performance, Whittington is still buried on the Rams’ depth chart. Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua and Demarcus Robinson are the clear-cut top three at wideout, with Tutu Atwell sitting as the fourth option.
Tyler Johnson has stood out this summer, too, so he might even be ahead of Whittington as of now. But if the rookie keeps playing the way he did on Sunday, he’s going to make McVay look very smart for saying he’s going to be a factor.
Kupp and Nacua each had terrific rookie seasons for the Rams in 2017 and 2023, respectively, and it would be unfair to expect the same from Whittington. But he’s certainly off to a great start.