Malik Nabers Has A Chance To Be Special Right Away
New York Giants rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers, the sixth overall pick in this year's NFL draft, has a chance to be very special right away in his first year in the league in 2024. "He's got a chance to be that elite No. 1. A true 'X' receiver with run-after-the-catch ability," an unnamed executive said. However, the same executive said he also needs to "develop into a more nuanced route-runner." And his extreme competitiveness could lead to "some level of frustration exhibited in an obvious manner" if the Giants aren't winning. A Giants offensive assistant drew a parallel between Nabers and former wideout Odell Beckham Jr. "Nabers could be like Odell early. Throw him a hitch or a slant and he's gone. He's got that type of talent." It's unclear if Nabers can top OBJ's 91-1,305-12 line in 12 games as a rookie, but he's the team's unquestioned No. 1 wideout in his rookie campaign.
The New York Giants signed No. 6 overall pick, wide receiver Malik Nabers, to his rookie deal on Friday. The deal is a four-year, $29,207,750 fully guaranteed deal that includes an $18,062,000 signing bonus and a fifth-year team option. The Giants passed on adding competition for quarterback Daniel Jones in this year's NFL draft and instead gave Jones big-time receiving help with perhaps the most explosive and athletic wideout in this year's strong class of receivers. The 20-year-old from LSU will immediately slot in as New York's No. 1 pass-catcher in 2024. He was wildly productive for the Tigers and should be heavily targeted as he transitions to the NFL, but he won't turn 21 until later this summer and could struggle for consistency if Jones continues to struggle as a passer. Fantasy managers in single-year leagues shouldn't be relying too heavily on Nabers in his rookie season in a Giants offense that has had its share of problems with Jones leading them.
New York Giants rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers, who was taken with the sixth overall pick in this year's NFL draft, is expected to be the team's No. 1 receiver immediately in his first year in the league. Despite his contract unrest, Darius Slayton is still the most established receiver on the roster, so he figures to maintain a significant role in the final year of his deal in 2024. Meanwhile, The Athletic's Dan Duggan writes that the plan should be for Jalin Hyatt to take on a bigger role this year and eventually replace Slayton. Isaiah Hodgins will provide solid depth, while Isaiah McKenzie and Gunner Olszewski figure to battle for a return job on special teams. Nabers, 20, was extremely productive at LSU, but there's an argument that he's downgrading at quarterback from Jayden Daniels to Daniel Jones (knee), which will make him a volatile gamble in single-year fantasy leagues in 2024.
The New York Giants selected LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers with the sixth overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft on Thursday night. There was plenty of noise in the days leading up to the draft that the G-Men wanted to trade up to draft either North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye or Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy, but that ended up being a smokescreen despite the questions about Daniel Jones as he comes off a torn ACL. Nabers is one of the fastest and most explosive receivers in a stacked class at the position and will give Jones an elite offensive weapon as he looks to bounce back in 2024. He should become New York's immediate No. 1 wideout among a group that includes Wan'Dale Robinson, Jalin Hyatt and Darius Slayton. Nabers will make the Giants more explosive immediately, but can Jones get him the ball consistently behind a shaky offensive line?
The Chicago Bears could upgrade at edge rusher in this year's NFL draft by taking either UCLA's Laiatu Latu or Florida State's Jared Verse with the No. 9 overall pick in the first round, but The Athletic's Bruce Feldman thinks they'll go with LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers to give more firepower to rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, who they are expected to take first overall. Nabers thoroughly impressed at his pro day workout and dominated for the Tigers in 2023, catching 89 passes for 1,569 yards and 14 touchdowns. "He can separate like nobody else. He has super speed and explosiveness. He's got this big lower half and is so scary in the open field. He is elite with the ball in his hands," one coach said. Having wideouts DJ Moore, Keenan Allen and Nabers would give Williams some serious weapons in his rookie year.
Former LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers impressed at the University's Pro Day on Wednesday, running an unofficial 4.35 40-yard dash and excelling in both the vertical jump (42") and broad jump (10'9"). The 20-year-old is coming off a spectacular junior campaign consisting of catching 89 passes for 1,569 yards and 14 touchdowns. His excellent athletic testing numbers certainly won't hurt his draft stock, and many analysts believe he could be taken ahead of Marvin Harrison Jr. in the 2024 NFL Draft next month. Nabers has visited or will visit with the Arizona Cardinals, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, New York Jets, and New York Giants this week.
NFL Insider and draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said he would not be surprised if LSU's Malik Nabers is the first wide receiver off the board in the 2024 NFL Draft, which takes place at the end of April. Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr. has been widely regarded as one of the best overall players in the 2024 class for over a year, so this would be a change from what most analysts have predicted in the lead-up to the draft. Nabers posted 89 receptions for 1,569 yards and 14 touchdowns in his junior season, while Harrison Jr. hauled in 67 passes for 1,211 yards and 14 scores. Jeremiah believes several NFL teams have Nabers as the top wideout prospect on their draft board, and which receiver is drafted first could come down to preference of style. Both players are considered locks to be selected in the first ten picks, and many mock drafts have both among the first five or six players selected.
Jayden Daniels, Malik Nabers Won't Measure At Combine
LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels and wide receiver Malik Nabers both opted not to take part in the measurements portion of the NFL scouting combine on Saturday with their respective position groups. Daniels will do his measurements at LSU's pro day on March 27, with Nabers expected to do the same. Daniels, 23, is one of the top QB prospects in this year's draft, alongside USC's Caleb Williams and North Carolina's Drake Maye, and he could end up going as high as second overall to the Washington Commanders in April. Daniels also didn't do any throwing drills at the combine in Indianapolis this week. Nabers, 20, didn't do any testing at the combine, either. He's in contention to be the second receiver to come off the board in this year's draft behind Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr.
LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers will not participate in on-field drills at the 2024 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, though he will be in attendance for interviews. He will wait until LSU's Pro Day on March 27 to demonstrate his athleticism for NFL scouts. The 20-year-old is the consensus No. 1 or No. 2 wide receiver in the 2024 NFL Draft class, and he's likely to be a top-10 pick in April. Nabers caught 89 passes for 1,569 yards and 14 touchdowns from 2023 Heisman-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels in his final season in Baton Rouge. In single-quarterback formats, he is likely to be a top-three selection in the majority of 2024 fantasy football rookie drafts.
