Jordan Whittington leads a trio of rookie dreamers in victory over Cowboys

He woke up grateful and overwhelmed to be in the NFL this year. The moment he long dreamt of came to fruition. Seeing his name emblazoned on the back of an NFL jersey was momentous, but it almost didn't happen. His dreams were nearly derailed after a rash of injuries and his father's passing while he was in college. Jordan Whittington is now savoring the moment. Before his first preseason last Sunday he said a prayer: "God, if this life only exists in my dreams, then don't wake me up." After a six-catch 74-yard debut for the Los Angeles Rams against the Dallas Cowboys, Whittington dreams appear to be coming true.

It didn't take the 6th-round draft pick rookie out of Texas long to announce his arrival to the NFL. After shaking off the Cowboy's Eric Scott's tackle, Whittington took a first-quarter slant pass for 30 yards, setting up an early Rams field goal en route to a 13-12 win over Dallas at SoFi Stadium. He plays with the tenacity and fervor that defines and typifies the Rams' wide receiver position.

Rams head coach Sean McVay was effusive with his praise of Whittington. "Jordan Whittington also really stood out to me. You can see he's got a great look in his eye, great game-day demeanor. He's a grown man and he played like a grown man with the ball in his hands, did a great job without it. I just really like him. He's going to be a factor for us, and I thought today was a good start for him and he's the type of guy that's only going to continue to grow from that."

Another rugged, dynamic receiver, Whittington, joins Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua under the tutelage of wide receiver coach Eric Yarber. Whittington understands the blessing afforded him to be in the same position room as the triple crown winning Kupp, known for his sly and precise route running. "A guy like Cooper who's so smart and knows the game, and things move so slow to him. Just having him teach the things that he knows. It really helps," Whittington said.

But Whittington wasn't the only rookie to show case their talent during the win against Dallas. Defensive backs Tanner Ingle and Jaylen McCollough maximized their opportunities. The pair of rookies both had five tackles and displayed the ability to identify plays and attack their defensive keys, catching McVay's attention.

"You know, that's one of Jaylen's great traits," said McVay. "I think that's also a good trait of Tanner's. He's got a good feel. He's got great toughness, especially in close quarters where he knows how to navigate people, be able to get people down because of that toughness. His ability to be able to have a good tackling plan at the point of attack. But both of those guys, they're physically tough. They're mentally tough,"

The mild-mannered Ingle attributed the week's preparation to his success. "I was just seeing the stuff we saw throughout practice this week and what we saw on film. I'm just trying to trust my instincts and go out there and make a play when I can,"

McCollough and Whittington drew parallels from McVay, with the coach praising the defensive back's mature demeanor and no-nonsense approach. "Jaylen's is similar to what I was saying about Jordan Whittington, that's how I feel about Jalen McCullough, mature demeanor, tough kind of a no-nonsense kind of guy, like being around him. He's done a good job," McVay said.

The rookies and the rest of the Rams will be back in preseason action when they face the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on Saturday at 4:05 p.m.

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