This Rams WR was named a breakout candidate and it’s not who you might expect.
The Los Angeles Rams wide receiver room will look much different than it has in recent year without Cooper Kupp. Kupp has led the receiver room since he was drafted in 2017 and the Rams replaced him with Davante Adams. Still, the Rams will be looking for a third wide receiver behind Adams and Puka Nacua.
While Tutu Atwell was retained as a free agent, signing a fully guaranteed $10 million contract, there are some question marks over how he’ll produce over 17 games. Jordan Whittingon will also be expected to take a step forward in year two.
However, there will still be opportunities for others behind Atwell and Whittington to make an impact. SB Nation’s JP Acosta suggested that this could be the case. In his NFL players poised to breakout series, Acosta listed seventh round rookie, Konata Mumpfield. Said Acosta,
“I try to stay away from rookies in this exercise, but I’m a big believer in Mumpfield and how his play can elevate the Rams offense. Los Angeles desperately needs speed they can trust in the receiver room, and Mumpfield brings separation skills and burst from the slot in ways that I don’t think WR Tutu Atwell consistently can. Mumpfield is a great complement to WRs Davante Adams and Puka Nacua in where and how he wins, and can help the offense be much more explosive.”
Mumpfield may be getting slightly overlooked as a seventh round rookie, but there is no denying his fit. Coming out of Pitt, Mumpfield moved easily in and out of his breaks, showcasing his ability as a strong route runner. To put it simply, he is the standard, prototypical McVay receiver.
The rookie out of Pitt also made his presence felt during OTAs and will be looking to carry that momentum into training camp. Again, the opportunity will be there for Mumpfield.
Throughout Atwell’s tenure with the Rams, he has consistently been surpassed by others who have been drafted. Some of that has been a lack of opportunity from the coaching staff, but Puka Nacua made an immediate impact as a fifth-round rookie. Ben Skowronek had more yards than Atwell in 2022 and Jordan Whittington outproduced Atwell in games against the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers last season.
Realistically, Mumpfield is a special teams contributor and gets limited snaps on offense. However, if he has a strong training camp, there’s a possibility that he finds himself in the WR3 rotation.
We’ll have to see how the Rams wide receiver rotation shakes out, but Mumpfield isn’t a player that should be slept on heading into the summer.