Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
When the LA Rams drafted Louisville WR Tutu Atwell with their critical second-round 57th pick in the 2021 NFL draft, the reaction of fans (including myself) was alternately either. “He’s speedy, but he’s kinda small, Dontcha think?” or “They hit a lot harder in the pros than college.”
I even made light of his diminutive size, writing Tutu stood for Tu Small, Tu Slight. Smurfy. Pint-sized. Lilliputian, even. I questioned whether he could absorb NFL hits with a body so slight, that a stuff wind might land him on the IR, or worse, the PUP list.