31 Days Until the State Football Announcement
Gatorade 2018 - 2019: Player of the Year

Football - Utah

athletes playing Football
The POY Logo
FOOTBALL

Puka Nacua

Wide receiver
OREM HS
OREM, UTAH
SENIOR
Height: 6-FOOT-2
Press Release

Peak Performance

2336

receiving yards

26

receiving touchdowns
“Nacua is the best athlete to play in Utah high schools in a long time. He’s got great hands and if the ball is thrown at all near him he just goes up and gets it. He turns short throws into big plays and he regularly makes three or four guys miss after he catches the ball.”
Derek Campbell
Head Coach Head Coach at Payson High
excellence star

Athletic Excellence

The 6-foot-2, 198-pound senior wide receiver caught 103 passes for 2,336 yards and 26 touchdowns this past season, leading the Tigers to a 12-2 record and the Class 4A state championship. Nacua set state single-season records for yards and touchdowns receiving, while also breaking the Utah career marks for yards (5,226), TD catches (58) and receptions (260). A First Team All-State selection and the Utah Valley Player of the Year, he has been chosen to play in the 2019 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

a graduation cap

Academic Achievement

Nacua has maintained a 3.34 GPA in the classroom. He has verbally committed to play football on scholarship at the University of Southern California next fall.

first place ribbon

Exemplary Character

A tutor for special needs students in his school, Nacua has volunteered locally on behalf of the Special Olympics and youth sports programs.