Locals in the NFL: Puka Nacua tops 1,000 yards with catch of the year candidate

AROUND THE SHIELD — Puka Nacua has been making unreal catches look routine since he was a sophomore in high school, but the third-year Rams wide out may have even topped himself Sunday afternoon.

Nacua caught five catches for 59 yards in the Rams' 31-28 loss to the Panthers, including a one-handed grab that is already being hailed as a catch of the year candidate.

On a crucial second-and-11 at the Carolina 38, Nacua went up and over a defender to snag a one-handed grab, secured it against his body, and land 31 yards later on a drive that set up Kryen Williams' 7-yard touchdown run that gave Los Angeles a 28-24 lead.

"I definitely feel like I could have sold the route more; he was ready for it," Nacua said in the postgame locker room. "When the ball's up in the air, it's my job to go make a play and try to find some way to come down with it.

"It was a wild one, for a second I thought he was going to bat it down, and it ended up in my hands. It felt good."

The play already has competition, though, from Washington's Treylon Burks, who made a falling, one-handed grab in the corner of the end zone on Sunday Night Football against the Denver Broncos.

Either way, with another grab — a screen pass for six yards in the fourth quarter — Nacua passed the 1,000-yard receiving mark for the second time in three seasons and still has five weeks to add to his haul.

The former NFL rookie record-setter's 1,019 receiving yards (and four touchdowns) currently ranks third in the NFL, behind only Seattle's Jaxon Smith-Njigba (1,336 yards, 7 touchdowns) and Dallas' George Pickens (1,142 yards, 8 touchdowns).

Here's how other former Utah high school and college football standouts performed in Week 13 of the 2025 NFL regular season.

Monday Night Football

New York vs. New England

Patriots (10-2)

• Khyiris Tonga, DT, BYU/Granger High

Giants (2-10)

• Jaxson Dart, QB, Corner Canyon High (via Ole Miss)

Sunday Night Football

Denver 27, Washington 26 (OT)

Broncos (10-2)

• Garett Bolles, OT, Utah/Snow/Westlake High: Started at left tackle
• Jonah Elliss, LB, Utah: Inactive for Week 13

Commanders (3-9)

• Bobby Wagner, LB, Utah State: Starting linebacker totaled team-high eight tackles and an interception

Sunday afternoon

Carolina 31, Los Angeles 28

Panthers (7-6)

• No locals on the active roster

Rams (9-3)

• Puka Nacua, WR, BYU/Orem High: Starting receiver caught six passes for 72 yards

San Francisco 26, Cleveland 8

49ers (9-4)

• Matt Gay, K, Utah/UVU/Orem High: Kicked field goals of 25 and 31 yards with two PATs

Browns (3-9)

• Mohamoud Diabate, LB, Utah: Reserve linebacker made three tackles on defense, one on special teams

Houston 20, Indianapolis 16

Texans (7-5)

• Dalton Shultz, TE, Bingham High (via Stanford): Reserve tight end caught team-high seven passes for 55 yards

Colts (8-4)

• No locals on the active roster

Miami 21, New Orleans 17

Dolphins (5-7)

• Zach Wilson, QB, BYU/Corner Canyon High: Active, but did not play

Saints (2-10)

• Michael Davis, CB, BYU: Reserve cornerback also played on special teams
• Taysom Hill, TE/QB, BYU: Starting tight end caught one pass for 5 yards, added one carry for 2 yards
• Terrell Burgess, S, Utah: Reserve safety totaled seven tackles and a pass defended
• Devaughn Vele, WR, Utah: Starting receiver caught eight passes for 93 yards, including a 15-yard touchdown and also recovered a fumble, in addition to an onside kick recovery
• Jonah Williams, DE, Weber State: Reserve defensive end also played on special teams

New York 27, Atlanta 24

Jets (3-9)

• Jay Tufele, DT, Bingham High (via USC): Reserve defensive tackle also played on special teams

Falcons (4-8)

• Tyler Allgeier, RB, BYU: Reserve tailback ran for 20 yards on eight carries, including a 1-yard touchdown, and caught two passes for 35 yards
• Kaden Elliss, LB, Judge Memorial (via Idaho): Starting linebacker made eight tackles on defense

Tampa 20, Arizona 17

Buccaneers (7-5)

• No locals on the active roster

Cardinals (3-9)

• Kedon Slovis, QB, BYU: Active, but did not play

Jacksonville 25, Tennessee 3

Jaguars (8-4)

• Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah: Starting linebacker totaled a team-high eight tackles on defense
• Tim Patrick, WR, Utah: Reserve receiver caught one pass for 11 yards

Titans (1-11)

• Cody Barton, LB, Utah/Brighton High: Starting linebacker had two tackles and a tackle for loss

Seattle 26, Minnesota 0

Seahawks (9-3)

• Connor O'Toole, LB, Utah: Inactive for Week 13
• Rashid Shaheed, WR/RS, Weber State: Reserve receiver caught one pass for 7 yards, added one carry for 9 yards in 32 offensive snaps; returned three punts for 43 yards (14.3 yards per punt) with two fair catches in six snaps on special teams

Vikings (4-8)

• Tyler Batty, LB, BYU/Payson High: Reserve linebacker played 23 snaps on special teams

Los Angeles 31, Las Vegas 14

Chargers (8-4)

• Andre James, OC, Herriman High (via UCLA): Reserve center also played on special teams

Raiders (2-10)

• Leki Fotu, DT, Utah/Herriman High: Starting defensive lineman made two tackles

Buffalo 26, Pittsburgh 7

Bills (8-4)

• Cole Bishop, S, Utah: Starting safety made four tackles on defense
• Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah: Inactive for Week 13
• Mitch Wishnowsky, P, Utah: Punted twice for 99 yards (49.5 yards per punt) with one touchback
• Taron Johnson, CB, Weber State: Reserve nickel made three tackles on defense
• Jackson Hawes, TE, Highland High (via Georgia Tech/Yale): Starting tight end caught one pass for 10 yards

Steelers (6-6)

• Jaylen Warren, RB, Utah State/Snow/East (via Oklahoma State): Starting running back had 35 yards on 10 carries, including a 1-yard touchdown, and caught two passes for 9 yards

Friday night

Chicago 24, Philadelphia 15

Bears (9-3)

• Noah Sewell, LB, Orem High (via Oregon): Inactive for Week 13

Eagles (8-4)

• Cameron Latu, TE, Olympus High (via Alabama): Reserve tight end played five snaps on offense, 16 on special teams

Thursday Night Football

Green Bay 31, Detroit 24

Packers (8-3-1)

• Jordan Love, QB, Utah State: Starting quarterback completed 18-of-30 passes for 234 yards and four touchdowns, and ran for 4 yards on five carries with no sacks taken and a fumble recovered in 63 offensive snaps
• Zayne Anderson, S, BYU/Stansbury High: Reserve safety made one tackle in 15 snaps on special teams
• Chris Brooks, RB, BYU: Reserve running back caught two passes for 9 yards in 18 offensive snaps, made one tackle in 13 snaps on special teams

Lions (7-5)

• Penei Sewell, OT, Desert Hills High (via Oregon): Starting right tackle played all 63 snaps on offense
• Sione Vaki, RB, Utah: Reserve running back made two tackles in 15 snaps on special teams

Dallas 31, Kansas City 28

Cowboys (6-5-1)

• No locals on the active roster

Chiefs (6-6)

• Kingsley Suamataia, OG, BYU/Orem High: Starting left guard played all 66 snaps on offense
• Jalen Royals, WR, Utah State: Inactive for Week 13
• Jeffrey Bassa, LB, Kearns High (via Oregon): Reserve linebacker played 19 snaps on special teams

Cincinnati 32, Baltimore 14

Bengals (4-8)

• Ryan Rehkow, P, BYU: Punted twice for 105 yards (52.5 yards per punt) with one touchback and one punted downed inside the 20 in 10 snaps on special teams

Ravens (6-6)

• Kyle Van Noy, LB, BYU: Starting linebacker had two tackles and a quarterback hit in 37 defensive snaps
• Tyler Huntley, QB, Utah: Active, but did not play
• Alohi Gilman, S, Orem High (via Notre Dame): Starting safety had eight tackles and a pass defended in all 83 defensive snaps

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