Puka Nacua is an American football wide receiver for the Los Angeles Rams as of the 2024 NFL season. The Los Angeles Rams selected him as the 177th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Born in Provo, Utah, Nacua's rookie season was historic in terms of statistics. He was named to a Pro Bowl and was also a second-team All-Pro, while also being on the PFWA All-Rookie Team in the 2023 season. Furthermore, he had 105 receptions in his rookie season, including 15 in a single game, for 1,486 yards, and 181 receiving yards in the playoffs, all of which are NFL records.
Puka Nacua's College
Puka Nacua went to the University of Washington (2019-20) and Brigham Young University (2021-22).
According to 247Sports, he turned down numerous offers from Oregon, Southern California, and other states before deciding to go with Washington in 2019. Before sustaining a fractured foot, he caught seven passes for 168 yards and two scores in the first eight games of his rookie season. In the three games that the team played in 2020 before COVID-19, Nacua had nine receptions for 151 yards and one touchdown.
Through the NCAA transfer portal, Nacua transferred to Brigham Young University in 2021, the same school his older brothers, Isaiah, Kai, and Samson Nacua, had previously attended. He caught 43 passes for 805 yards and six touchdowns in his rookie season. In the 2021 season, he went over 100 yards in four different games.
Against Arkansas in October 2022, he had two rushing touchdowns, eight receptions for 141 yards, and a receiving touchdown. His 14 receptions for 157 yards and two touchdowns on November 5 against Boise State included a game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter and a field goal that gave BYU a 31-28 lead with 32 seconds remaining.
Overall in the 2022 season, Nacua recorded 48 receptions for receiving yards and five touchdowns. Further at BYU, he ran 39 times for 357 yards (an average of 9.2 yards per rush) and five touchdowns on the ground.
Nacua's college stats are as follows:
Season | GP | Receiving | |||
| Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | ||
| Washington Huskies | |||||
| 2019 | 8 | 7 | 168 | 24 | 2 |
| 2020 | 3 | 9 | 151 | 16.8 | 1 |
| BYU Cougars | |||||
| 2021 | 12 | 43 | 805 | 18.7 | 6 |
| 2022 | 9 | 48 | 625 | 13 | 5 |
| Total | 32 | 107 | 1,749 | 18.1 | 14 |
Nacua's college awards and honors:
| Award/Honor | Year |
| Phil Steele All-Independent First Team | 2021, 2022 |
| College Football Network All-Independent Wide Receiver of the Year | 2022 |
| College Football Network All-Independent First Team | 2022 |
| Pro Football Network Independent Wide Receiver of the Year | 2021 |
| Pro Football Network First Team All-Independent Offense | 2021 |
| Pro Football Network Independent Newcomer of the Year | 2021 |
Puka Nacua's High School
Puka Nacua, a four-star wide receiver, attended Orem High School in Utah. Depending on the recruiting service, he was rated among the top 10 wide receivers in the nation and the best player in Utah for the 2019 class, according to the NCAA. In route to being named to the MaxPreps.com and USA Today First-Team All-American teams, he won the 2018 Utah Gatorade Player of the Year award.
As a senior, Nacua set state records for the most receptions in a single season with 103 receptions for 2,336 yards and 26 touchdowns. He also broke the marks for career receptions (260), yards (5,226), and receiving touchdowns (58). After leading Orem to the 2018 Utah 4A state championship, he was named the 2019 Polynesian Bowl offensive MVP.
FAQs on Puka Nacua
A. Puka Nacua is of American nationality. He was born in Las Vegas, Nevada, in the United States.
A. Puka Nacau was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams at the 2023 NFL Draft, as the 177th pick in the fifth round.
A. Puka Nacua has six touchdowns by the end of the 2023 season in NFL.
A. Puka Nacua has Portuguese, Hawaiian, and Samoan ancestry.
A. Puka Bacua transferred to BYU from Washington University, because it was closer to home.
