One of the most fun aspects of every NFL Draft as a writer is scouting prospects and trying to identify those hidden gems….the diamonds in the rough, if you will…guys who might not be Day 1 or Day 2 picks, but sure as hell seem to have what it takes to make it in the NFL. Over the course of the next couple months, I’ll be highlighting some guys from this year’s draft class that I believe will be a steal for someone come April. Up next, we diving into the game of BYU wide receiver Puka Nacua.
I’ll be honest with you guys. I had no idea who Puka Nacua was before I got the press release that he was joining the 2023 Senior Bowl roster. Let’s face it – we’re not watching a whole lot of BYU games out here in Nashville, Tennessee. And, this is a deep receiving crop to keep track of anyway. But, when I saw his name come across my feed, I wanted to get up to speed on the guy’s game so that I’d be prepared to scout him at the Senior Bowl like the good practicing Big J Journalist that I am. What I saw really impressed me from an intangibles standpoint, particularly his reps against the Arkansas Razorbacks. What I saw was a versatile, gadgety type of receiver that played with a lot of heart.
The more I studied, the more I felt like he was going to be one of the guys down in Mobile that would turn heads and have everyone saying, “wait – who is this guy?” On the first day of practices, I thought I’d be proven right earlier than I expected! Nacua stole the show in that early practice. He showed how sudden he is in his cuts on a couple of plays during which he broke outside on a cornerback and made the catch.
Puka Nacua out of BYU is a guy who made himself some decent money today. Here he is against JL Skinner in 1on1s. pic.twitter.com/MC1G14nUEN
— Frankie Abbott (@FrankiesFilm) February 1, 2023
To me, that’s the name of his game. He’s not going to separate on pure speed, and maybe if he had a little more of that, he’d be considered more of a blue chip prospect. But, hey – separation is separation, baby! I don’t care how you get it. Nacua will go out there and break a man’s ankles. Here’s another rep from that first day of Senior Bowl practices during which he shows just how lethal his sudden cut ability can be:
Puka Nacua flashing on day 1 of the Senior Bowl #LeagueWinnersRookieSZN pic.twitter.com/g8NK6E5zGe
— The League Winners (@FFLeagueWinners) January 31, 2023
Look at the separation!!! Good gracious! Go watch his highlights against Arkansas this past season. BYU lost that game 52-35, but Nacua tallied eight catches for 141 yards, a receiving touchdown, 20 rushing yards, and two rushing touchdowns in that game. I know you can’t base an entire evaluation off of one game, but what I saw in that game was a physical, hard runner who was unafraid of the big stage. He’s a gadgety guy that BYU tried to cook up creative ways to get the ball to. They lined him up outside, the motioned him on jet sweeps, they flat out handed the ball off to him. Whatever it took – he was their play-maker.
But, he’s also a little underrated in the contested catch department. He has an innate ability to adjust his body and contort to make catches. It looks like muscle memory to him – just whatever it takes to come down with the ball, it’s automatic to him…instinct, if you will. It’s not so much about fighting the defensive back as it is that there’s just no position he CAN’T put himself in to catch a ball. It’s awesome. He also plays with that attitude that he’s going to drag you down into a knife fight in the mud. Three Razorbacks trying to bring this guy down, and he just lowers his head and keeps his feet churning.
Pros
- Got that dawg in him
- Sudden cuts
- Contested catches
- Smooth route runner
- Versatility
- Physical, hard runner
- Willing blocker
Cons
- Consistency vs press man coverage
- Pure speed
- Minor injury concern
- Notre Dame game *cringe*
Nacua is a scrappy wide receiver that has the competitive spirit to get on a roster in the NFL and work his way up the depth chart. He adds value right away in his versatility and the myriad of ways an offense could use him. He’s a great route-runner, but he’s the type of player that you just plain want to get the ball in his hands. He’ll be most successful on a team that needs immediate WR3-WR4 help *cough*TennesseeTitans*cough* because he’ll have the opportunity to compete for a role right away. I think he can win those camp battles. I don’t think he’s just going to be a value add to the back end of the receiving room. I think this is a Day 3 prospect that can contribute right away, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up being drafted much higher than expected. As far as his upside goes, I could easily see Nacua developing into a nice WR2, maybe even WR1, on a team. Maybe that’s bold to say, but there’s not much I don’t like about this prospect.
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2023 NFL Draft Hidden Gems
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley.
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