The New York Giants allowed Saquon Barkley, their most popular player, to leave via free agency this spring. Although Barkley's signing with division rival Philadelphia was a bitter pill to swallow, the Giants hit the lottery with this year's sixth overall pick, Malik Nabers. The rookie wideout instantly became New York's top offensive weapon and seems destined for stardom.
Nabers earned unanimous All-American honors in his final season at LSU after catching 89 balls for 1,569 and 14 touchdowns. He finished his collegiate career with 189 catches for 3,003 yards and 21 touchdowns and departed Baton Rouge as the Tigers' all-time leader in receiving yards. The electric rookie has been even better than advertised during his brief time with the Giants.
"In my opinion, he reminds me of Ja'Marr Chase," teammate Darius Slayton said on the "All Facts No Brakes" podcast with Keyshawn Johnson. "It's like a clone. They're about the same size. Dimensionally, they're about the same. His body movements, it's actually kind of weird watching him move around.
"I think he's really talented," Slayton added. "He's got good hands. For us, our system, the biggest hiccup as a rookie is trying to get down all these terminologies that
New York's receiving corp finished at the bottom of Pro Football Focus's team receiving grade in 2023. Slayton hauled in 50 passes for a team-high 770 yards and four touchdowns, while Wan'Dale Robinson led the team with 60 receptions for 525 yards and one score. The Giants drafted Nabers to produce a slew of highlight-reel plays this upcoming season.
The 21-year-old big-play receiver had an 84th percentile success rate against man coverage last year, according to Matt Harmon's Reception Perception profile. Nabers posted a 78th percentile against press coverage and also broke multiple tackles on 20.5 percent of his "in-space" routes. Veteran quarterback Daniel Jones is confident that the explosive rookie will have an early impact when the regular season opens next month.
"I think he can be a tremendous weapon for us," Jones said recently. "He can do everything, there's not much he can't do really from a route-running standpoint. He's dynamic either way the ball in his hands, and strong, fast, explosive, catches the ball well. Yeah, he does a lot well."
While Nabers was drafted to replace Barkley as the Giants' top offensive playmaker, the rookie is not fazed by the high expectations that the organization has for him.
"I feel like there's no pressure," Nabers said. "I mean, I've been playing football all my life, I'm just trying to stay up with the guys here, put the competition that those older guys want to see out of me. I'm just trying to be me, trying to level my game every day that I'm out here."
Although the Louisiana native is not sure of the impact he will have as a first-year player, he does consider himself a difference-maker.
"When I'm out there on the field, the level of competition rises at its highest," Nabers said. "I bring the dog, I bring the juice when I'm out there."
That the Giants drafted Nabers instead of selecting Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy shocked NFL pundits who predicted New York would take a signal-caller with the sixth overall pick. However, general manager Joe Schoen was adamant that the talented pass-catcher was their top target.
"Malik was our guy," Schoen said when asked about McCarthy. "He's the guy we targeted. With the other players on the board, we took Malik Nabers."
New York could have also opted for Washington receiver Rome Odunze, who was drafted with the ninth pick by the Chicago Bears. The Giants also had the opportunity to trade back in the first round but decided that Nabers was worth more than an additional draft pick.
"At the end of the day, Malik's toughness, separation, speed, not that Rome doesn't have those things, Rome's a very good player, too," Schoen said. "When it came down to it, what we were looking for, Malik checked a lot of those boxes."
While the New York Giants are hopeful that Nabers can emulate the success of another LSU playmaker, Odell Beckham Jr., head coach Brian Daboll is just happy to finally have a true No. 1 receiver on the roster.
"I'm not going to compare him to anybody," Daboll said. "I think he's a fantastic player, a lot of good attributes, starting with his personality, his demeanor, his competitive stamina and toughness. He's a dog on the field. I'm excited to work with him."
Nabers purchased a house for his mother after inking his first NFL contract - a four-year, $29.2 million deal with an $18.1 million signing bonus. It was a moment that he will always cherish.
"That was the most important thing in my life I'd probably say, having her have her own house, feel comfortable and not having to worry about bills to pay, to know her little boy did it for her,” Nabers said.
"When I put my name on that paper I was kind of shaking a little bit and I got emotional," he said. "The job's not done but another stage in my life was done. For me to make it to this part of my life and my journey, it was a pat on my back in that moment."
The Giants will be more than happy if the next stage in Naber's life journey is as successful as his previous stage at LSU.
As Malik Nabers embarks on his NFL journey with the New York Giants, fans and analysts alike are eager to see how the rookie wideout will perform on the big stage. With his college success, high expectations, and the backing of the Giants' coaching staff, Nabers is poised to make a significant impact in his first season.
For those looking to place their bets, some of the best NFL betting sites are already buzzing with odds on Nabers' potential Rookie of the Year candidacy and his impact on the Giants' offense. As the season unfolds, all eyes will be on this promising talent to see if he can live up to the hype and become the next big star in New York.
