Puka Nacua Named One of the Top NFL Players Under 25

NFL.com released a list of the top players in the NFL under 25 and Puka Nacua made the cut

Casey Lundquist | Jul 28, 2024

Jan 14, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (17) scores a touchdown against Detroit Lions safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson (2) and cornerback Cameron Sutton (1) during the first half of a 2024 NFC wild card game at Ford Field. / David Reginek-USA TODAY Sports

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BYU Cougars

The football season is fast approaching. Coming off a record-setting rookie campaign, former BYU star wide receiver Puka Nacua has become a household name in NFL circles. A lot has changed in 12 months for Nacua and his family. Like most fifth-round picks, Nacua had relatively little fanfare going into his rookie season. He only needed a few weeks to establish a reputation for himself - he racked up hundreds receiving yards while Cooper Kupp was recovering from an injury. Fast forward to today and Nacua is preparing for his second season with the Rams, where he is now one of the faces of the organization.

NFL.com recently released the names of the top NFL players under 25 at each position. Nacua was one of three wide receivers included alongside Jamaar Chase and Amon-Ra St. Brown. You can read the entire list here.

"There were plenty of quality candidates for this slot, but I'm showering a record-setting rookie with deserved praise. Nacua flew under the radar of every draft nik on the planet entering the 2023 draft, but when Les Snead and Sean McVay landed him with the last pick of Round 5, they were ecstatic. After a 1,486-yard, six-touchdown rookie campaign, Nacua will no longer operate in anonymity. And that probably won't make much of a difference: The rugged receiver's built to produce in the NFL."
- Nick Shook

In 2023, Nacua broke the NFL rookie records for both receptions and receiving yards. He was dynamic in the season opener, and he remained elite throughout the regular season and into the playoffs. In the NFC Wild Card game against the Detriot Lions, Nacua racked up 9 receptions for 181 yards and 1 touchdown.

Published Jul 28, 2024

CASEY LUNDQUIST

Casey Lundquist is the publisher and lead editor of Cougs Daily. He has covered BYU athletics for the last four years. During that time, he has published over 2,000 stories that have reached more than three million people.