THE YOUNGEST OF SIX BROTHERS LEARNED FOOTBALL IN BACKYARD BATTLES THAT LEFT BRUISES. TODAY, PUKA NACUA BRINGS THAT SAME RELENTLESS PHYSICALITY TO NFL DEFENSES AND AT 24, THE RAMS’ WIDE RECEIVER IS JUST GETTING WARMED UP

BY EMMA FLOYD

Puka Nacua learned toughness in backyard battles against siblings who all played college or professional football. Growing up in Provo, Utah, he was not the biggest or fastest, but he refused to be outworked. That physicality now defines his game in ways that keep defensive coordinators awake at night. The film backs it up. Nacua takes brutal hits, leaves for stitches, returns to the field, and continues producing. His style is not driven by f lash or finesse. It is relentless, physical, and uncompromising.

When the Rams selected him 177th overall in the 2023 draft (the 20th receiver taken), scouts questioned his injury history and college transfers. Two years later, he owns space in the NFL record book. His rookie season reset marks that had stood for 63 years: 105 receptions and 1,486 yards, both all-time records for a first-year player. He became just the fourth rookie wide receiver to earn Pro Bowl honors and added second-team All-Pro recognition, achievements rarely associated with a fifth-round pick. During the 2024 season, a PCL sprain limited him early, yet his performance followed once he returned to full health. In a December 2025 game against Seattle, he posted a career-high 225 yards, a performance that underscored his place in the Rams’ offense.

What separates Nacua is not just talent. It is competitiveness shaped by adversity. After losing his father to diabetes at age eleven, football turned into more than a game. It became a purpose. That drive fueled unprecedented production in high school: 260 catches, 5,226 yards, and 58 touchdowns, all Utah state records that still stand. Quarterback Matthew Stafford has noted that Nacua’s game comes alive once the contact intensifies. Stafford, who has thrown to many of the league’s elite receivers, understands the difference between skill and durability. Head coach Sean McVay limits Nacua’s practice reps not because of injury concerns, but to manage the intensity he brings every snap. With more than 3,000 career receiving yards already, Nacua has established himself among the league’s most compelling young players. The fifth-round pick continues to narrow the gap between anticipation and reality, one catch at a time.

Puka Nacua
@pukaizded