BYU Cougars: Player Watch – WR Tei Nacua

The Player Watch, highlighting BYU Cougars wide receiver Tei Nacua.

• Tei Nacua
• Position: Wide Receiver
• BYU Cougars
  
• 6’2” 180 lbs

Who is Tei Nacua?

Tei Nacua was a 3⭐️ in the composites and attended Timpview High in Utah. He was a two sport athlete and played Junior Varsity basketball. Nacua finished his high school career by appearing in 34 games where he compiled 139 receptions for 2,121 yards and 20 touchdowns. As a Senior Nacua broke out and caught 66 passes for 974 yards with 9 touchdowns. He also added return work to his resume with 123 punt return yards and 70 kick return yards.

Timpview WR Tei Nacua in the Utah state playoff semifinal against Olympus:

• 13 catches
• 195 yards
• 1 touchdown

Tei is the younger brother of Puka, Samson, and Kai Nacua
pic.twitter.com/NocWd3uAlm

— Ensign Gridiron (@EnsignGridiron) November 10, 2023

Tei is part of the Nacua legacy that includes fellow BYU alums: Isaiah, Samson, and yes – Puka Nacua. Tei will not be an early enrollee at BYU, and instead will enroll in the Summer. This will allow him to get into the strength and conditioning program, but will not let him get a leg up if he were to have enrolled early in time for Spring camp. Nacua will be available for Fall camp.

Strengths

Tei Nacua has very good ball tracking skills and is an overall good athlete with the ball in his hands. Nacua has good vision that allows him to create after the catch and enough lateral quickness to make a defender miss in the open field. Point blank, he simply makes plays and finds a way to win.

Nacua rose to the occasion in high school when his team needed him and helped carried them to win multiple games. He has the innate ability to come up with plays and puts the team on his shoulders. He improved with each passing season in high school and has his brother (Puka) to learn from and pick his brain on certain concepts.

As a route runner, Nacua is a good for his age. While watching his tape, he plays to the level of his competition, but has a winners mentality and looks to find ways to beat his corner.

Areas of Improvement & Concern

Tei Nacua will need to get more consistent at the next level, and that comes with experience. There were some games in high school where he was going through the motions and wasn’t a difference maker with each rep. It’s a positive that he plays to the level of his competition, but sometimes against lesser opponents, you expect talent to just win – and that wasn’t always the case with Nacua when watching him.

Nacua will need more refinement as a route runner, but that also comes with age and coaching. The raw traits and tools are there, though. The coaching staff will need to mold Nacua so he can reach his peak.

BYU has a rather large receiving room. Two high level recruits come back from their two year Mormon mission (Cody Hagen and Dom McKenzie). And, BYU Chase Roberts and Kody Epps also return. Roberts and Epps led the Cougars in targets last year. BYU also has Keelan Marion, who carved out a decent role this past season. It’s possible that Nacua might be 5th on the depth chart to start the season. It’s likely Nacua stays a redshirt while he gains strength in the weight room and becomes a more well-rounded receiver for BYU.

Positional Outlook

BYU has a rather deep wide receiver room that lacked production outside the top two returning players in Chase Roberts and Kody Epps. BYU also returns a couple of players that were rotational depth pieces, as well as two returning Mormon missionaries in Cody Hagen and Dom McKenize. There’s a lot of promise in this room but also a lot of uncertainty.

The future of this room looks very good but as far as immediate production goes, the third option will be open and should be a battle to watch through Spring and into Fall camp. It’s very possible that Tei Nacua redshirts this year as he learns the playbook. The physicality at the college level and getting into the strength and conditioning program makes it tough to play right away. And, BYU typically doesn’t force players to do so unless there are depth issues.

BYU is in a situation where they have a surplus at wide receiver, and the depth should help them in 2025 and beyond. Tei Nacua should learn a lot from Chase Roberts and Kody Epps. I expect Nacua to be a sponge during Fall camp and into practice during the season.

It’s possible Nacua sees the field when the game is out of reach as players are allowed to play in four games before having to burn their redshirt. Those four games with live reps should help Nacua get a feel for the game and help him progress for 2025 and beyond.

Pathway to Success

Tei Nacua’s first year will be successful if he is able to see live reps during games that are out of hand. BYU is aware not to burn his redshirt status unless Nacua proves he is simply too good to be kept off the field. There is an outcome where the returning missionaries need a year to get up to speed as well. After all, they’ve been away for two years and need to get back into game shape and game speed.

There’s also an outcome where the returning rotational depth pieces don’t take the next step to earn a bigger role in the offense. By default, Nacua could climb up the depth chart as an able body and someone who can work within the system to gain reps and playing time.

BYU’s wide receiver room is wide open once you get past Chase Roberts and Kody Epps. Nacua could have a knack for making plays during Fall camp and the coaching staff may feel he adds some juice to the offense which was much needed last season.

There are few NIL concerns when it comes to Nacua, too. The Nacua name is a legacy at BYU and both sides respect that. It’s possible Nacua makes an impact right away, but nobody should bank on that. A successful season for Nacua would be to see the field during games that are out of hand and get his feet wet for the 2025 season.

2024 Outlook

BYU should be happy they were able to land Tei Nacua. They’re likely also happy to see their two returning missionaries. The future of their WR room is bright, but for the 2024 season, expectations for Nacua should be tempered. Yes, his last name brings lofty expectations. But reading the situation of him coming in this summer and not being an early enrollee, Nacua will have a lot on his plate. It is quite possible that we just see him cheering for his teammates during his true Freshman season.