Finding diamonds in late rounds: Which NFL rookie will surprise like Puka Nacua?
NFL teams annually hunt for hidden gems in late draft rounds, especially at offensive positions. Two years ago, the Los Angeles Rams drafted Puka Nacua in the fifth round, and he subsequently broke all rookie records with 1,483 receiving yards in the regular season. His success inspired the search for similar talents in this year's draft. Analysis based on Nacua's characteristics reveals five key rules for identifying potential breakout players among wide receivers drafted in 2025. While last year's attempt to find "the next Nacua" didn't pan out as expected, it created a solid foundation for this year's predictions. The first rule requires selection on Day 3 of the draft - fourth round or later. Nacua was picked 177th overall in 2023, showing that teams passed on available players multiple times. This year's pool contains eighteen candidates from the fourth through seventh rounds. The second criterion focuses on underwhelming college statistics....