Can BYU Land Transfers Puka and Samson Nacua?

Let the speculation (officially) begin.

Washington Wide Receiver and Orem HS grad Puka Nacua officially entered the transfer portal on Sunday, according to 247 Sports. Nacua also confirmed to The Seattle Times that he entered the portal.

This comes just after a week that older brother and Utah Wide Receiver Samson Nacua announced his intentions to transfer. Samson and Puka are younger brothers of former BYU players Kai and Isaiah Nacua. Isaiah signed with BYU but never played.

Speculation was rampant in January of Puka potentially transferring to BYU, but that seemed to cool down in the past month. Now with news of both Puka and Samson in the portal, the speculation of them going to BYU as a package deal will only grow.

Both players are local products, as Samson graduated from Timpview HS (Provo) and Puka graduated from Orem HS. Older brother Kai was a star safety at BYU and the Nacuas come from a BYU family. If Samson and Puka both ultimately choose BYU, it may come down to a reason deeper than football.

The Nacua’s father, Lionel, tragically passed away in 2012 at the age of 45. Prior to Kai and Isaiah committing to BYU and shortly before his death, Lionel said that he wanted his boys to end up at BYU, according to the Las Vegas Sun. “Honey, this is where I want the boys to go to school,” Penina Nacua remembered her husband saying. “For my husband, BYU would be a dream opportunity for the boys.”

On the field, Puka and Samson would give BYU some serious weapons. Puka was a 4-star WR in the class of 2019 and was expected to be one UW’s top targets for the 2021 season. He’s had some injury issues, but in 6 career games over 2 seasons he’s had 16 receptions for 319 yards and 3 TDs. Puka is arguably the best high school wide receiver to come from the state of Utah.

Older brother Samson had been a solid contributor for Utah at wideout. He has 82 career receptions for 1,015 yards and 11 TDs. He’s had 2 seasons with over 300 receiving yards. Samson will be a senior next season.

BYU has already reached out to Samson and will heavily be in the mix for both players, especially if they are a package deal. The Publisher of UW’s Rivals site predicts that both brothers will end up at BYU.

BYU already has an established receiving corps that only lost Dax Milne, and adding Puka and Samson would give BYU arguably its best receiving group that BYU has ever had.