Puka Nacua Earns Top Honors From PFF Before 2025 Season

When Puka Nacua slipped to the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, few outside Provo could have predicted what would happen next. Fast forward to the end of his rookie season, and the former BYU star has not only shattered records, he’s been crowned the best.

According to Pro Football Focus, Nacua earned the highest grade of any player from the 2023 draft class, regardless of position. That includes the top two overall picks in quarterbacks Bryce Young, and C.J. Stroud. Nacua is rated higher than Pro Bowl running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and Bijan Robinson. As well as first-round talent in defensive tackle Jalen Carter and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. It’s not just hype; it’s a stat-backed statement: Nacua is the steal of the draft.

His numbers from 2023 were jaw-dropping. 105 receptions. 1,486 yards. Both are NFL rookie records. From Week 1, where he hauled in 10 catches for 119 yards, to a postseason breakout against the Detroit Lions (9 receptions, 181 yards, and a touchdown), Nacua was a nightmare for defenses. His production never slowed, and neither did the Rams’ trust in him.

“Flawless” was the word floating around Rams camp by season’s end. The NFL agreed. Following his rookie season Nacua was named to the NFL Top 100, landing at No. 33, an unprecedented rise for a Day 3 pick. The last time a fifth-round rookie cracked that list this fast? It’s almost unheard of.