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Welcome to the Naber-hood! Giants Select Malik Nabers in Round 1
New York adds some firepower on offense with the speedy LSU receiver.
The New York Giants, who have not had a No. 1 receiver since Odell Beckham Jr, selected LSU speedster Malik Nabers with the sixth overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, by-passing Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy, whom some had linked to the team.
"I'm excited about Malik," head coah Brian Daboll said. "He's a heck of a player. He's a fun guy to evaluate. He's got quickness, he's explosive--a good run after the catch.
"He's got a great mindset in terms of the competitor that he is, the competitive style he plays with, and he played well in big games. Get him in the program, get him with the receivers, and get him into the offense. I'm really looking forward to working with him."
The Skinny
Nabers finished his 2023 season with 89 receptions for 1,569 yards (17.6 average) and 14 touchdowns. He was named a first-team Associated Press All-American and first-team All-SEC. He was also a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award (nation's top WR). He ranked second in the FBS with 1,569 receiving yards (17.6 per), tied for third with 14 receiving touchdowns and set a school record with 189 career receptions and the school record for career receiving yards (3,003 yards, beating Josh Reed)
Scouting Report from Brandon Olsen
Nabers’ explosive ability is clear on film --he goes 0-100 in the blink of an eye, and his bounce is evident in jump ball situations. He flashes late hands as a pass-catcher and knows how to use route tempo to create separation from defenders off the break. He has clear knowledge of soft spots in zones and will sit in the zones. He keeps his feet moving through contact as a an after the catch threat.
He becomes Mr. Fantastic when trying to make a play on the ball in the air - contorts and twists while maintaining control of his body. And if you want your receivers to be involved as blockers, he’s your guy.
Nabers utilizes a decent stiff arm after the catch, and the way that he stops on a dime for hitches, comebacks, and stop-and-go routes is elite already. He is versatile as an inside-out receiver.
His weaknesses include a lack of ideal length. His release vs press is messy if the defender gets their hands on him, and he needs to clean up his route-running ability which has a lot of wasted motion. He struggles to reel in passes that are low - catch radius goes high but not low. We’re not sure what his route-running capabilities are due to playing in an offense that abused vertical routes.
We also have questions about his long speed. His explosive ability is second to none, but against better and more athletic cornerbacks, he could see issues.
Overall, Nabers has some elite physical tools that can make him an early WR1 for an offense with the potential to be a top-ten receiver in the NFL. His explosive ability as well as being a valid run-after-catch threat will allow him to contribute from day one but his route-running ability and struggles against press do add some risk to the draft pick.
Pat's Take
The Giants were reported to have heavy interest in North Carolian quarterback Drake Maye, but were unable to swing a deal to move up for him. Rather than reach for a quarterback—Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy, whom the team was also heavily linked to was on the board, the Giants went with the receiver to add firepower to a passing game that ranked last in explosive plays last year, helping whoever ends up as the quarterback for the long term.
Personally, I would have preferred Rome Odunze, who has better contested catch production and who is a cleaner prospect, but I don’t hate this pick. I don’t think the Giants could have gone wrong with any of the big three receivers, and I also think they just took what was a passable receiving unit to the next level.
As for quarterback, I suspect the Giants could look to address the position later in the draft. Already six quarterbacks—Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, Michael Penix Jr, Bo Nix and J.J. McCarthy—have come off the board. Will the Giants look to grab a developmental prospect on Day 2, or will they instead focus on addressing other needs?
Stay tuned.
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