Giants select LSU WR Malik Nabers with No. 6 overall pick in 2024 NFL draft

The New York Giants were rumored to be chasing quarterbacks, but they ended up sticking with the No. 6 pick and drafting LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers.

Not a bad consolation prize for head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen. Nabers could end up being the playmaker embattled quarterback Daniel Jones needed all along. Once Drake Maye was drafted by the Patriots, the Giants certainly appeared focused on taking someone to help their incumbent QB out.

Standing at 6-foot and weighing 199 pounds, Nabers shone as a star player for the Tigers over the previous two seasons. This is impressive considering that he missed his senior season in high school and had limited playtime as a freshman in Baton Rouge. In 2022, he topped the SEC with 72 receptions and was runners-up in the conference for receiving yards with 1,017. Nabers further improved his performance in 2023.

Last season, Nabers buoyed Jayden Daniels‘ Heisman Trophy-winning season as the Tigers’ leading receiver, also pacing all FBS players at 120.7 receiving yards per game. He was a first-team AP All-American and first-team All-SEC, capping his brilliant season by setting LSU school records for career receptions (189) and receiving yards (3,003), accomplishing the latter in his final game.

Nabers has the ability to challenge all three layers of a defense. After quick hitches, screens, and slants, he becomes exceptionally challenging to tackle, almost transforming into a running back with superior contact balance after catching the ball. He also has the ability to outpace corners up top and discover an extra speed to separate deeply. Despite lacking superior length and bulk, which may result in losing some physical confrontations, Nabers is a tenacious player with an aggressive style and underestimated strength.

Nabers, predicted to be a top-10 pick, chose not to participate in the athletic testing at the NFL Scouting Combine. However, he did perform at LSU’s pro day on March 27 and his efforts did not disappoint. Not only did he run an incredibly fast 40-yard dash (4.38 seconds), but Nabers also accomplished a 42-inch vertical jump, a 10-foot-9 broad jump, and 15 bench press reps. All of these were notable performances.

He is poised to join the NFL, potentially assuming the Giants’ primary role as early as his rookie season. Despite having a slightly smaller WR team, their potential for yards-after-catch looks incredibly promising on paper.

Nabers will assist Jones in the immediate future, regardless of whether Jones has a long-term prospect in New York. Moreover, if Jones is unable to recover in the upcoming season, another quarterback may be lucky enough to have a top-tier receiver to target in the future.