About
Makea “Puka” Nacua (; born May 29, 2001) is an American professional football wide receiver for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Washington Huskies and BYU Cougars and was selected by the Rams in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL draft. Nacua exceeded expectations in his first year, setting the NFL rookie record for receiving yards and receptions and earning Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors.
Nacua was born on May 29, 2001, in Las Vegas, Nevada. His mother is of Samoan and German descent, and his father was of Hawaiian and Portuguese descent. He acquired the nickname “Puka”, meaning fat and chubby in Samoan, due to his size as a baby. He grew up in Provo, Utah, and attended Orem High School in Orem, Utah. Nacua finished his high school career with 260 catches, 5,226 receiving yards, and 58 receiving touchdowns, all of which are Utah state records. He was named the Polynesian High School Football Player of the Year in 2018.
Nacua began his college career at Washington. He played in the first eight games of his freshman season and caught seven passes for…
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