Puka Nacua
refer to caption
Nacua with the Rams in 2023
No. 17 – Los Angeles Rams
Position:Wide receiver
Personal information
Born: (2001-05-29) May 29, 2001
Provo, Utah, U.S.
Height:6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:205 lb (93 kg)
Career information
High school:Orem
(Orem, Utah)
College:Washington (2019–2020)
BYU (2021–2022)
NFL Draft:2023 / Round: 5 / Pick: 177
Career history
Roster status:Active
Career highlights and awards
NFL records
  • Most receiving yards in a rookie season: 1,486
  • Most receptions in a rookie season: 105
  • Most receptions by a rookie in a game: 15
Career NFL statistics as of 2023
Receptions:105
Receiving yards:1,486
Receiving touchdowns:6
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

Makea "Puka" Nacua (/ˈpuːkə nəˈkuːə/;[1] POO-kuh Nuh-KOO-uh; born May 29, 2001) is an American football wide receiver for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Washington and BYU. Selected by the Rams in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, Nacua set the rookie records for receiving yards and receptions, along with being named to the Pro Bowl and as a second-team All-Pro.

Early years

Nacua is of Samoan, Hawaiian and Portuguese descent.[2] He acquired the nickname "Puka", meaning fat and chubby in Samoan, due to his size as a baby.[3] He grew up in Provo, Utah and attended Orem High School in Orem, Utah.[4] Nacua finished his high school career with 260 catches, 5,226 receiving yards, and 58 receiving touchdowns, all of which are Utah state records.[5][6]

College career

Washington

Nacua began his college career at Washington. He played in the first eight games of his freshman season and caught seven passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns before suffering a broken foot.[7] Nacua had nine receptions for 151 yards and one touchdown in three games during the team's COVID-19-shortened 2020 season.[8] Following the end of the season, he entered the NCAA transfer portal.[9]

BYU

Nacua transferred to BYU for the 2021 season.[10] In his first season with the team, he caught 43 passes for 805 yards and six touchdowns.[11] In the 2022 season, he had 48 receptions for 625 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns.[12] He was also used extensively in the running game, carrying the ball 39 times for 357 yards (an average of 9.2 yards per rush) and scoring five touchdowns on the ground during his two seasons at BYU.

College statistics

Season Team GP Receiving
RecYdsAvgTD
2019Washington 8716824.02
2020Washington 3915116.81
2021BYU 124380518.76
2022BYU 94862513.05
Total321071,74918.114

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeightArm lengthHand span40-yard dash10-yard split20-yard split20-yard shuttleThree-cone drillVertical jumpBroad jumpBench press
6 ft 1+5⁄8 in
(1.87 m)		 201 lb
(91 kg)		 31+1⁄2 in
(0.80 m)		 9+1⁄2 in
(0.24 m)		4.57 s1.62 s2.64 s4.36 s7.32 s33.0 in
(0.84 m)		10 ft 1 in
(3.07 m)		15 reps
Sources:[13][14]

Nacua was selected by the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL) in the fifth round, 177th overall, of the 2023 NFL Draft.[15]

Nacua made his rookie debut as a starter for the Rams on September 10, 2023, against the rival Seattle Seahawks in Seattle. The Seahawks were heavy favorites because the Rams were coming off of an injury riddled 2022 season and the team was without star receiver Cooper Kupp, who had been sidelined with a hamstring injury. Despite this, Nacua was a formidable piece of the team's offense, making 10 catches for 119 yards in his debut as the Rams beat the Seahawks 30–13.[16][17] Though he was first questionable with a rib injury, in his second game, Nacua broke the NFL single-game record for catches by a rookie as he caught 15 passes for 147 yards in a 30–23 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.[18] The 25 catches over his first two games was another rookie record, surpassing Earl Cooper's 43-year-old mark of 19, and he also became the first player to record more than 10 catches and more than 100 yards in each of his first two NFL games.[19]

In a Week 4 game against the Indianapolis Colts, Nacua had nine receptions for 163 yards. Nacua got his first NFL touchdown in overtime on a 22-yard reception to beat the Colts 29–23.[20] During a Week 7 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Nacua finished with 154 receiving yards on eight receptions as the Rams lost 17–24.[21] Against the Cleveland Browns in Week 13, Nacua surpassed 1,000 receiving yards on the year with a 70-yard touchdown reception as the Rams won 36-19.[22] In Week 16 against the New Orleans Saints on Thursday Night Football, Nacua caught nine passes for 164 yards with a touchdown and ran twice for 16 yards and was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week. Against the New York Giants in Week 17, Nacua caught five passes for 118 yards, including a season-long 80-yard catch-and-run to set up a touchdown in the Rams' 26-25 victory. In week 18 of the season, Nacua caught four passes for 41 yards and a touchdown in the Rams' 21-20 victory. He would end the season with 105 receptions for 1,486 yards, setting new NFL rookie single season records for total receptions (breaking the previous mark of 104 set by Jaylen Waddle in 2021) and total receiving yards (breaking the previous mark of 1,473 set by Bill Groman in 1960).[23]

NFL career statistics

Legend
Led the league
NFL record (for rookies)
Bold Career high

Regular season

Year Team Games Receiving Rushing Fumbles
GPGSRecYdsAvgLngTDAttYdsAvgLngTDFumLost
2023LAR 17171051,48614.280612897.431010
Career17171051,48614.280612897.431010

Personal life

Nacua's older brother, Samson, also plays wide receiver, and transferred from the University of Utah to BYU at the same time that Puka transferred from Washington. Samson went undrafted and had a stint with the Colts.[24] Another older brother, Kai Nacua, played safety at BYU and in the NFL.[25]

Nacua's father, Lionel, died from complications of diabetes when Puka was 11.[26] Nacua's mother Penina then raised Puka and his five siblings as a single parent.

Nacua played Pop Warner football with Dana White III, son of UFC CEO and President Dana White.[27]

References

  1. ↑ MILE-WR Puka Nacua Interview. MILE-WR. February 14, 2018. Event occurs at 0:13. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via YouTube.
  2. ↑ King, Peter (September 25, 2023). "The Puka Story". NBC Sports. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Murphy, Bryan (September 25, 2023). "How to pronounce Puka Nacua: A guide to talking about Rams rookie and his real first name". The Sporting News. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
  4. ↑ Jones, Tony (August 10, 2018). "Orem's Puka Nacua is the youngest of three standout football players ... and he may be the best of the three". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  5. ↑ Vorel, Mike (February 10, 2019). "The wait is over. Four-star wide receiver Puka Nacua breaks silence and commits to Washington". The Seattle Times. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  6. ↑ McCann, Dave (February 7, 2022). "BYU football: How Puka Nacua is polishing craft during the offseason". Deseret News. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  7. ↑ Vorel, Mike (November 2, 2019). "UW freshman wide receiver Puka Nacua will miss 4–5 weeks with a broken foot". The Seattle Times. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  8. ↑ Judd, Brandon (March 12, 2021). "BYU football: What will Puka Nacua and Samson Nacua bring to Cougars?". Deseret News. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  9. ↑ Vorel, Mike (March 8, 2021). "'This is not how I wanted it to go': UW wide receiver Puka Nacua discusses decision to transfer to BYU". The Seattle Times. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  10. ↑ McDonald, Ryan (March 8, 2021). "Puka, Samson Nacua announce they're transferring to BYU". Deseret News. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  11. ↑ Thamel, Pete (September 9, 2022). "BYU receivers Puka Nacua, Gunner Romney to miss Saturday's game vs. Baylor due to injuries, sources say". ESPN.com. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Puka Nacua 2022 Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  13. ↑ "Puka Nacua Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
  14. ↑ "2023 NFL Draft Scout Puka Nacua College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
  15. ↑ Reynolds, Kevin (April 29, 2023). "NFL draft: BYU's Freeland, Hall and Nacua are selected on third day, along with Utah's Phillips III and Daniels". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
  16. ↑ Judd, Brandon (September 10, 2023). "Former BYU star Puka Nacua makes history with 100-yard receiving day in his NFL debut". Deseret News. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  17. ↑ Kerr, Jeff (September 17, 2023). "Rams' Puka Nacua sets record: Rookie WR makes NFL history with 25 catches in first two games". CBSSports.com. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  18. ↑ "San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams - September 17th, 2023". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  19. ↑ Barshop, Sarah (September 17, 2023). "Puka Nacua's 15-catch game for Rams breaks NFL rookie records". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
  20. ↑ "NFL roundup: Puka Nacua, Rams outlast Colts in OT". Reuters. October 2, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  21. ↑ Edwards, Josh (October 24, 2023). "NFL's top rookie performances of Week 7: Puka Nacua on historic pace, Devon Witherspoon in lockdown mode". CBSSports.com. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  22. ↑ Werner, Barry (December 3, 2023). "Puka Nacua goes over 1,000 yard mark on 70 yard touchdown reception". USAToday.com. Retrieved December 4, 2023.
  23. ↑ https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39261306/rams-puka-nacua-breaks-nfl-rookie-receiving-yards-record
  24. ↑ Gonzalez, Norma (April 9, 2021). "Why did Samson and Puka Nacua leave their respective P5 football programs to play for BYU? It was all about family". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  25. ↑ Dickson, Darnell (June 25, 2021). "Samson and Puka Nacua feeling at home with BYU football". Daily Herald. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  26. ↑ Jackson, Stu. "Puka Nacua's causes for My Cause My Cleats honor mother and late father". therams.com.
  27. ↑ "How Are Dana White and Paka Nucua Connected?". Essentially Sports. September 11, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
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