By Christian Vieyra (@thecvieyra) – Executive Editor | SJSU wide receiver Nick Nash warms up before his season finale against Stanford on Nov. 29, 2024 at CEFCU Stadium in San Jose. (Photo by Nick Orozco – The Spear)
For the first time in his football career, Nick Nash has no idea what team he will play for next season.
“It’s a little bit strange but it’s exciting,” Nash said. “It’s something that won’t happen again in my life, so it’s pretty cool and I’m trying to enjoy it as much as I can because it’s a rare opportunity.”
The former quarterback turned wide receiver led the nation with 104 receptions, 1,382 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns in the 2024 season.
Nash’s year landed him as a finalist for the Fred Biletnikoff Award, which is given to the best receiver in college football and shot up his NFL chances.
His stats earned him the FBS college football triple crown and unanimous All-America honors. Nash lost to Colorado’s Travis Hunter in the Biletnikoff race, who also won the Heisman Trophy.
Now Nash finds himself preparing for the NFL draft after competing in the 2025 East-West Shrine Bowl and participating in the NFL scouting combine.
“I think that those two events were very important for this process, just being a guy from a smaller school,” Nash said. “Scouts came to practice during the season, but it’s nothing like the amount of people that are littered all around the sidelines.”
Nash recorded a 4.57-second 40-yard dash at the combine.
“Anything below 4.60 was the goal for me,” Nash said.
Nash’s favorite event at the combine was the gauntlet. This gauges a receiver’s ability to run in a straight line, catch passes thrown from alternating sides and tests hand-eye coordination.
“You see it on TV so much and it’s nerve-racking because it’s just you out there,” Nash said. “I felt like I performed well and put those nerves aside.”
In Nash’s opinion, the Shrine Bowl was more beneficial for him compared to the combine.
“Getting to show scouts and coaches what I was able to do against that competition was really important for me,” Nash said. “Being around NFL coaches is exactly what you want to perfect your craft.”
The combine was still a valuable experience for Nash, allowing him the opportunity to meet with coaches from the NFL.
“Hopefully those two things did nothing but raise my draft stock,” Nash said. “I think I’ll get drafted but a lot of things can change on that draft day unless you’re a top 10 guy, then it’s really hard to gauge where you’re gonna be drafted.”
SJSU football’s director of player personnel, Beca Perez, was among a handful of Spartan staff that traveled to Indianapolis to watch Nash at the combine.
“I saw him as an incoming freshman, so to see him grow, mature and develop as a really good football player and have that opportunity. It was really cool,” Perez said. “He had strong hands and he was really clean with his routes and the depth.”
Last spring Nash wasn’t even considering the NFL.
“I went through a lot here, I switched positions, I didn’t think I was gonna play anymore and now I’m here,” Nash said.
In 2022, Nash became a wide receiver after spending his three previous seasons as a
quarterback. In January of 2024 he considered leaving SJSU. Nash entered the transfer portal for one day before he ultimately withdrew.
“To see him go from start to finish, not leave and just trust us, it’s worked out for him pretty well,” Perez said. “He did a lot of growing up because we expected big things as a leader from him and he fulfilled that.”
It was surreal for Perez to see Nash use the foundation he built at SJSU at an event like the combine.
“(It’s) the kind of path that he gets to leave for the incoming guys,” Perez said. “It’s one of our best recruiting tools, because the numbers, the stats and the evidence speaks for itself.”
Spartans offensive coordinator Craig Stutzmann was also amongst the staff that travelled to the combine.
Stutzmann has had conversations with multiple NFL scouts and coaches.
“They watch the film, they know what he can do. They want to know what kind of person he is and what his work ethic is,” Stutzmann said. “What he was able to accomplish this year was because he had great work ethic. He took care of his body and he studied.”
Nash’s legacy at SJSU is cemented but his coaching staff remembers more than his on-field production.
“When he throws on the pads and puts on the helmet he becomes a physical player, which is what you always want, but deep down he’s a true, great human being,” Perez said. “I think that no matter where he ends up he’s going to find a role.”
