The recent earthquakes aren't the only forces rattling the team facility in Woodland Hills.

For those of us invested in the Los Angeles Rams, these are unsteady times.

The most recent aftershock has receiver Cooper Kupp, offensive guard Jonah Jackson, and safety John Johnson III added to injury list that's longer than a CVS receipt.

As we settle in for a season that's going to look much different than we'd envisioned, it's encouraging to spend time getting to know those whose NFL opportunities are arriving even sooner than expected. There may be no greater example than rookie receiver Jordan Whittington, who proved to be the perfect guest for this week's Rams Revealed.

From small-town Texas to the biggest stage in college football and now the bright lights of Los Angeles, Whittington's story is one of soul-searching and positively persevering.

The Cuero native suffered a season ending injury in his first college game at Texas. One year later, it happened again on opening weekend. When his third campaign was interrupted at the midway point, Whittington understandably almost tapped out.

"I had got a taste of how good it could be, and it got snatched away again," the soon-to-be 24-year-old said, looking back on when he seriously considered walking away from football. "But I kind of changed my perspective on that, and instead of seeing it as a time to stop, I saw it as a sign to make my story better and kept pushing through."

Once he found consistent success with the Longhorns and survived a full season physically, Whittington's path to the NFL took another detour. Presented with the chance to turn professional after his junior year, he was confronted with the reality that he wasn't mentally ready to make the leap.

"If the football thing doesn't work out, what am I really going to do," Whittington recalled wondering. "And I wasn't ready to face that yet, so I had to be honest with myself.

"It was a moment where I had to be vulnerable with myself and just talk to people. I had to tell people to be honest with me. And I ended up staying another year."

Whittington used that extra time to earn his degree at Texas, helped his program reach the College Football Playoff, networked with fellow Longhorns and grew deeper roots in his identity away from the field.

Described as "the heartbeat" of his college program, Whittington was better-equipped when he was selected by the Rams in the sixth round this spring, and quickly acclimated to life in Los Angeles, earning a role on special teams and in a deep receiving corps.

Suddenly, that depth chart is without its top two All-Pro options – Kupp and Puka Nacua – meaning Whittington's NFL moment, which at multiple junctures seemed like it might never materialize, is now.

Rams Revealed presented by Sleep Number is available here, on YouTube, or in audio format wherever you get your podcasts.