Who is Puka Nacua Meet the Rams WR stepping up in Cooper Kupps absence
Who is Puka Nacua Meet the Rams WR stepping up in Cooper Kupps absence
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There was no telling how the Rams pa sing offense would look with Cooper Kupp out after a disappointing 2022 campaign. Rookie Puka Nacua helped make sure the absence wasn't mi sed as much.The Rams stunned the Seahawks in Seattle on Sunday, winning 30-13 in Matthew Stafford's first game since Nov. 20. His favorite target Vince Williams Jersey without Kupp? That would be Nacua, a rookie making his first NFL start. Nacua led all receivers with 10 receptions and 15 targets, and was tied with teammate Tutu Atwell with 119 receiving yards.Rams coach Sean McVay had warned the football world before the season that Nacua was primed for a big year. And on Sunday, he was vindicated by the confidence in the first-year NFL receiver."Puka Nacua's come in and he's a mature rookie as I've ever been around and he is a physical, tough strong player," McVay said. "He's got a great way about himself."MORE: With Kupp beginning the season on injured reserve, ensuring he'll be out at least through Week 4, Nacua has a chance to continue his early breakout.Here's everything you need to know about the breakout receiver.Nacua spent four years in college, originally coming out of high school in 2019 and heading to Washington. He saw limited action in his freshman season, finishing the year with seven catches in eight games for 168 yards and two touchdowns. The next season, he was limited to three games, during which he caught nine pa ses for 151 yards and another score.Following the 2020 campaign, Nacua decided to transfer to BYU, making the decision at the same time as his brother, Samson Nacua, who left Utah to join the Cougars, . They were the third and fourth brothers to play for BYU, joining Kai and Isaiah. The decision was made not for football reasons, but rather to be closer to their 75-year-old grandmother, who was in declining health and lived in Provo, Utah."Obviously, the physical distance of me being in Seattle, I was away from my family," Nacua said. "But emotionally and mentally how distant I had felt from not being able to see them or really communicate with them or just be there, like seeing them in person to physically touch them and stuff like that."Nacua immediately saw a surge in production upon arriving in Provo. He led BYU in receiving yards with 805 yards, while catching 43 pa ses, including six for touchdowns. The next season, he led the Cougars again with James Conner Jersey 48 receptions and 625 yards with five touchdowns despite being limited to nine games due to injuries.Following the end of Nacua's standout two-year run in BYU, he was selected in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, going 177th overall to the Rams.With his selection by the Rams, he became the second of his two brothers to reach the NFL. Kai Nacua signed with the Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2017, and appeared in 16 games for Cleveland. Following two years away from the league, he turned to play in five games for the 49ers in 2020, another game for San Francisco in 2021 and three with the Jets in 2021.Between his time with the Browns and the 49ers, he bounced around on the practice squads for the Ravens, Panthers and Colts.Nacua and his family are from Utah, with Nacua having set several Carnell Lake Jersey state records as a receiver in high school and helping to lead his high school, Orem High, to a state championship in 2018.But Nacua's family is originally from West Samoa, with his grandmother having immigrated to the U.S. from West Samoa with her daughter Nacua's mother, Penina Nacua according to The Salt Lake Tribune.Nacua's real name is Makea Nacua, but he earned his nickname, "Puka" for how he appeared as a baby, ."In Samoan, it means fat and chubby. It's from when I was a baby and it kind of stuck. Going up through school, everybody knows me as Puka even though I slimmed out," Nacua said.Nacua's final statline of 10 catches and 119 receiving yards in his NFL debut put him in some rare company., Nacua became the third player ever to secure at least 10 catches and 100 receiving yards in his debut, joining just Anquan Boldin in 2003 (10 catches for 217 yards) and Keke Coutee in 2018 (11 catches for 109 yards).Nacua's 119 receiving yards also surpa sed Henry Ellard for the most by a Ram receiver in their debut, with Ellard having tallied 91, . He ranks , with the record having been set by Boldin with his 217.
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