Puka Nacua. Davante Adams. CJ Daniels? In a short time, Daniels has already made the Los Angeles Rams look wise for snagging him in the sixth round of the 2026 draft.
Daniels could be ready to make the 31 other teams regret not selecting him sooner if his performance during the early going of his first NFL training camp. The rookie has drawn strong reactions on consecutive days.
The Rams even featured him in a new video to underscore the strong impression he is making.
CJ Daniels Making Strong Early Impression in Rams Training Camp
GettyCJ Daniels has made a strong impression early on.
The Rams selected Daniels 197th overall in the 2026 draft. He was the 31st wide receiver off the board out of the 39 taken in the seven rounds of the draft.
That may ultimately prove to be far too low in retrospect.
Daniels made several more impressive plays during Wednesday’s practice, continuing to show a strong connection with Stetson Bennett IV and drawing a slew of encouraging reactions as the Rams move their summer program.
“@cjaaaay_ in action [clapper board emoji],” the Rams posted on X on July 29, along with one of Daniels’ highlights.
“CJ has such a nose for the ball when it’s in the air near him,” 1st & Tuna’s Pierce DeLuna posted on X on July 29.
Daniels’ talent and work ethic preceded him, but he has still been impressive in practice.
“After the Rams drafted CJ Daniels in the 6th round, I tried not to hype him up too much because I was so excited about his fit,” Rams On SI’s Blaine Grisak posted on X on July 28 after LA’s first practice.
“…but maybe I wasn’t hyping him up enough? Great to see him show out yesterday. Could 100% see him developing into a DRob [Demarcus Robinson] in this offense.”
Robinson was a serviceable WR4 for the Rams in 2023 and 2024.
That is a fitting target for a late-round pick like Daniels. The Rams did strike gold once with Puka Nacua in the fifth round of the 2023 draft, though. Daniels becoming a fraction of the player that Nacua is would be a boon for the Rams, but it is as apt a ceiling as Robinson is a floor.
Sean McVay Gives CJ Daniels a Heads Up
GettySean McVay is looking forward to seeing more from CJ Daniels.
Daniels is part of a deep group of Rams receivers, but one that is largely unproven beyond Adams and Nacua. That could mean a significant role is there for the taking, as long as Daniels keeps up his impressive showing.
Rams head coach Sean McVay already said he is eager to see Daniels in game action.
“He’s done a good job. He’s a mature rookie,” McVay told reporters on July 27. “You can see he’s come in, no-nonsense mentality, but he enjoys football. And then, he’s really–he’s a great listener. Whether it’s paying attention to his coaches with Rob [Calabrese], with Yarbs [Eric Yarber]. With Robert Woods, with Nate Scheelhaase.
“He’s got some incredible guys to learn from. Davante Adams has such wisdom, and Puka’s had a lot of great experiences. Jordan Whittington is now becoming a veteran. So, it’s a great group, but I’m excited about CJ. And he’ll be another guy–when you talk about the importance of the preseason–he’ll be a guy I’m looking forward to watching play and, obviously, in these practice settings as well.”
There is a long way to go yet, but Daniels is already showing quite well for the Rams during his first NFL training camp.
The Rams also have 2025 third-round pick Konata Mumpfield and former undrafted free agent Xavier Smith, both of whom contributed last season. Daniels still faces a steep climb to snaps, let alone consistent playing time.
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