Key Takeaways
- Rams WR Puka Nacua and Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase will coach newly created teams in Overtime’s OT7 7-on-7 league this spring
- Nacua’s squad features top Utah recruits including four-star prospects Bode Sparrow and Krew Jones
- Chase’s Team Uno, based in Southern California, includes Ohio State four-star QB commit Brady Edmunds and Arizona State WR commit Nico Bland
- Multi-platinum rapper Gunna will also coach the Wunna Warriors, led by No. 1 overall 2027 recruit John Meredith III
- The fifth season kicks off March 21-22 at Dallas College Mountain View Campus with finals set for June 11-14
NFL Stars Step Into Coaching Roles for Youth 7-on-7 Circuit
Overtime’s OT7 league is adding serious star power to its coaching ranks heading into its fifth season. Puka Nacua and Ja’Marr Chase, two of the NFL’s top wide receivers, will each lead newly created squads in the spring 7-on-7 circuit. They join a coaching roster that already includes Aaron Donald, Cam Newton, and Robert Griffin III.
Nacua, a Utah native, will lead a team of top recruits from his home state. Chase’s Team Uno draws from Southern California talent. Gunna rounds out the new additions, coaching the Texas-based Wunna Warriors.
“The Whole Point of Being Able to Make It Out”
For Nacua, the move is rooted in giving back. “They have a bunch of kids that have been coming out from the state of Utah, so it felt right when they reached out,” Nacua told Forbes. “That’s the whole point of being able to make it out from your hometown and from your state, and being able to represent the people that helped you, and then be able to give back to the people who are trying to get to where you’re at.”
The Rams receiver also said he’s looking forward to competing against former teammate Donald. “I think there’s one thing that Aaron Donald knows about me, and he knows that I love to compete,” Nacua said.
A Pipeline to Power Four Football and the NFL
OT7’s alumni list speaks to the caliber of talent the league attracts. Past participants include Ohio State’s Carnell Tate, Oregon’s Dante Moore, Michigan’s Bryce Underwood (the top recruit of the 2025 class), USC’s Makai Lemon, and Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith.
This season’s expected roster is similarly loaded, featuring names like No. 1 overall 2027 recruit John Meredith III, Nebraska QB commit Trae Taylor, Ohio State five-star WR commit Jamier Brown, and Georgia five-star RB commit Kemon Spell.
Hunter Mandel, general manager of Overtime Football, told Forbes that the majority of OT7 participants go on to play Power Four football. “You’re seeing the future of the NFL, you’re seeing future first-round draft picks, Heisman winners,” Mandel said.
What This Means for the Youth Sports Marketplace
OT7 represents a growing model in youth sports: celebrity-backed competitive platforms that blend elite athlete development with media exposure. The league uses NFL-level production trucks, airs games on YouTube, and has previously broadcast on NFL Network. Mandel told Forbes the June championship will air on a notable network, with the location set for either Los Angeles or Miami.
The five-weekend season runs from March 21 through April 26, with finals June 11-14. For the youth sports industry, OT7’s approach of pairing NFL names with top high school recruits creates a media and scouting ecosystem that generates NIL opportunities, scholarship visibility, and brand-building for athletes well before they reach college.
Source: Forbes, DJ Siddiqi, February 19, 2026 | Rams Wire, Cameron DaSilva, February 19, 2026 | On3, Keegan Pope, February 20, 2026
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