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The Los Angeles Rams drafted Nacua with the 177th overall pick, the final in the fifth round. Cooper Kupp is the clear-cut WR1 on the team when healthy, but the order of the depth wide receivers is still muddled. Nacua could end up being the WR2 or WR3 in this offense if he can play well during training camp.
Puka Nacua put his name on the map after transferring to BYU from Washington in 2021. He will hope to have his name called during the draft at some point this week.
Nacua started his career at the University of Washington before transferring to BYU to finish his collegiate career. The step-down had benefited him and helped did wonders for his career. He has struggled with injuries during his career and has missed a lot of time. In his two years at BYU, he caught 91 passes for 1,430 yards and 11 touchdowns. Nacua had seven career games with over 100 yards receiving.
Paku Nacua: Scouting Report
Nacua is sneaky athletic, so if a team drafts him, they will get someone who can do multiple things on the field. He will be good at running jet sweeps and is good with the ball in his hand once he gets it. He is good at gaining leverage on receivers and can stack as well.
He lacks elite speed and separation from the line of scrimmage, which could become a problem. He will also struggle against press-man coverage. He needs to become a more fluid route runner at the next level.
Mock Draft landing spots
If Nakua is drafted at all in this year’s draft, he is expected to be a very late-round selection. ESPN’s Matt Miller has him going to the San Francisco 49ers in the seventh round at No. 222.
Fantasy football implications
Starting off, Nakua will most likely have to fight in training camp to make the 53-man roster. If he does, he’ll most likely get a smattering of catches to start off. His fantasy value for later on will depend on if he can prove himself as a reliable possession receiver early. Fantasy managers can definitely take a wait-and-see approach on Nakua to see if he’ll develop into a diamond in the rough.