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UW Football Primer: Huskies in Good Hands with Puka Nacua

Young receiver offered a glimpse of his greatness, could be sorely needed go-to target.
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Puka Nacua got a stride on a Hawaiian defender as they sprinted toward Lake Washington, stuck up his hands as he crossed into the end zone and flagged down a bullet-like pass from Jacob Eason. 

The play covered 28 yards. Six seconds. A milestone moment. And produced a lightning-strike touchdown.

It marked the first college catch for Nacua, then a freshman and Washington's most highly decorated recruit from its 2019 class. An appropriate way for a guy with stardom written all over him to break in.

"We're still kind of figuring him out," former Huskies coach Chris Petersen said of Nacua. "But he is a big body and he's got tremendous hands."

This is another in a series of profiles on prospective UW football starters. While spring practice is in question because of the novel coronavirus outbreak, Husky Maven/Sports Illustrated will provide uninterrupted coverage.

The 6-foot-1, 204-pound Nacua made a huge impression over eight Huskies games, starting three of them, but he lost momentum as quickly as he got it going.

In practice leading up to a game against his home state Utah and his older brother Samson, a fellow wide receiver, Nacua broke his foot and was done for the year. He was seen riding a scooter on and off the field, wearing a boot. He's shown in the top video playing catch before the Las Vegas Bowl and didn't suit up. 

He finished his abbreviated first UW season with 7 catches for 168 yards and scored a second touchdown on a 33-yard Eason throw against Oregon. Much more is expected of him.

Nacua was on the field long enough to show he has the ability to become the Huskies' go-to receiver, an upgrade for a receiving corps that couldn't always get open against top-rated secondaries.

He's an acrobatic receiver who was going to give Eason a much-needed big-play target. Now he'll provide this service for the winner of the QB sweepstakes, Jacob Sirmon, Dylan Morris or Ethan Garbers. 

Nacua originally committed to USC, but changed his mind after newly hired offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury became the Arizona Cardinals head coach and didn't stay long. He chose the Huskies over the Trojans, UCLA, Oregon, Utah and BYU.

He broke Utah high school receiving records after finishing a high-powered senior year with gaudy single-season numbers of 103 catches, 2,336 yards and 26 touchdowns. He was named to the All-USA Today first team and selected Polynesian Bowl offensive MVP in Hawaii.

Nacua hails from a family of five children, including four highly competitive brothers (see last season's Seattle Times story), with Samson now a senior receiver at Utah and Kai playing safety for BYU and now the Indianapolis Colts. 

Back for his sophomore year, Puka Nacua has a chance to bring a lot more excitement to Husky Stadium and enable the new quarterback to get comfortable knowing he's out there. He could be the deep threat that's been missing since Dante Pettis and John Ross left for the pros. 

SUMMARY: He provided just enough of a preview for everyone to know he has elite talent. Speed. Size. Hands. It's time to see the whole package over a full season.

GRADE (1 to 5): Nacua gets a 4. It's all based on potential, of course, which looks unlimited. He just needs someone to send the ball in his direction. Like toward Lake Washington. And let him go get it.