Will Jordan Whittington become LA’s next late-round sensation?
Whittington could be a roster lock after Ben Skowronek was traded to Texans,
With the 213th overall pick, the Los Angeles Rams took Texas wide receiver Jordan Whittington to pair with All-Pros Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua. The selection was initially viewed as a solid depth piece at wideout. However, a larger role might be carved out for the rookie following the surprise trade of Ben Skowronek to the Houston Texans on Thursday.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73341550/1802191635.0.jpg?w=640&ssl=1)
Is Whittington a lock to make the 53-man roster after the Skowronek trade? There’s reason to believe the Longhorns playmaker is in line to become the next Rams late-round star after Nacua last season.
I think many have too low of opinion of WR Jordan Whittington- Texas. He ran a 4.47 at the combine and a 4.42 at a workout for scouts. Good hands.
Good route runner. Shows toughness. Decent blocker. Team Captain. This kid is gonna do just fine, imho. Sounds like faster Nacua.
— Pensacola Ram (@ReddingRam) May 3, 2024
Before we get too ahead of ourselves, it’s important to understand how Whittington got to LA first.
Jordan Whittington’s journey to becoming a Longhorns role player
Shortly before his time at Texas, Whittington was a four-star recruit from the 2019 class. At Cuero, he played several positions like safety, running back and wide receiver. Whittington even took a few snaps under center, completing all 14 of his pass attempts for 301 yards and a pair of touchdown passes. His high school career demonstrated what a Swiss Army knife he was across the board. From 2016-18 at Cuero, Jordan was a threat to opposing defenses no matter how he got the ball:
Rushing: 134 carries for 1,409 yards and 23 touchdowns
Receiving: 166 receptions for 3,202 yards and 41 touchdowns
Whittington also had five total return touchdowns in that span and earned TSWA Class 4A first-team all-state honors as a returner his sophomore year. As a safety, he recorded 60 tackles and five interceptions during his senior year. Gabe Brooks of 247Sports wrote the following report on Jordan prior to his arrival at Texas and said the wideout reminded him of dynamic NFL playmaker Ty Montgomery:
“Well-built and physically imposing prospect, especially relative to a projected receiver role. Highly developed physically and may not possess the frame space for much more physical progress. Possesses impressive bulk and plays with functional strength because of it. Looks like a running back.”
Speaking of running back, Whittington got his chance to be the primary ballcarrier in the 2018 state championship against Pleasant Glove. In the 40-28 win, Jordan posted a statline of 28 carries for 334 yards and five TDs, 3 catches for 43 yards and another TD all while posting a team-high 11 tackles.
