Puka Nacua
Makea "Puka" Nacua is a professional football wide receiver with the Los Angeles Rams. He was selected by the Rams in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL draft. He set rookie records for receiving yards and receptions and was named to the Pro Bowl and as a second team All-Pro. He has been described as a "rookie superstar."[1] Although he was sidelined with some injuries during the 2024 season, he still had a successful second professional season.
On April 25, 2024, Nacua signed a multi-year footwear and apparel deal with Jordan Brand. On September 4, he signed an endorsement deal with Gatorade.
Nacua, as a baby nicknamed "Puka", meaning "fat and chubby" in Samoan, was born on May 28, 2001. He is of Samoan, Hawaiian, and Portuguese descent. His father, Lionel, died when Puka was 11, and he was raised by his single mom, Penina[2] in Orem, Utah. He finished his high school football 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.
In college, Nacua played first for the Washington Huskies then transferred to Brigham Young University. Three of his older brothers each played for BYU, two of whom went onto careers in the NFL.
