The New York Giants have been looking for that superstar WR1 for what feels like forever. Kenny Golladay didn’t work out, and we don’t even talk about Kadarius Toney in his household. And now, they finally have the electricity they have been searching for, coming from second-year standout Malik Nabers.
He’s rapidly become one of the most exciting young receivers in football, and he knows it. Honestly, just about anyone with a pulse in the greater tri-state area knows it, too.
Players like Ja’Marr Chase, CeeDee Lamb, Justin Jefferson, and Amon-Ra St Brown are among the best and most talked about at the receiver position. And with the work the ex-LSU standout has put in, he says it’s only a matter of time before his name joins them in those conversations — that is, if it isn't already:
“I can be,” Nabers said while addressing the media. “The work is always gonna show. I should be one of those top guys in a few years, if not next year.”
Malik Nabers is ready to become the best WR in the league
With swagger and confidence at an all-time high, it’s almost as if Nabers is taking a page out of a very familiar playbook to Giants fans: Odell Beckham’s playbook.
The G-Men selected Nabers with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, making him their highest-drafted wide receiver since Beckham Jr. (12th) back in 2014.
Comparisons to OBJ were inevitable from the moment Nabers donned Big Blue– and it wasn’t just the LSU to Big Blue pipeline that had people seeing it. And now the All-SEC receiver is ready to join forces with the man who paved the way for him.
And as a rookie, Nabers delivered historic numbers beyond people’s wildest expectations. He even outperformed fellow rookie receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., and the numbers weren’t close.
The 21-year-old broke the NFL rookie wide receiver record with 109 catches, and almost most receptions outright, but Raiders tight end Brock Bowers spoiled that fun.
But over 100 catches and 1,200 yards en route to a Pro Bowl appearance, while catching passes from Daniel Jones and Drew Lock, means there’s no telling what’s in store for his future. Now it’s Russell Wilson under center, which is a considerable upgrade.
Even Jameis Winston and rookie Jaxson Dart provide more stability at the position, but that’s an incredibly low bar.
Wilson has been vocal in his praise of the Louisiana native, even calling him the “best receiver in football” at FanaticsFest. That’s no small compliment coming from a former Super Bowl champion and future Hall of Famer.
New York finally has a trio of quarterbacks who can push the ball downfield, and we know that is a crucial aspect of head coach Brian Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka’s scheme. If you thought that the 6-foot, 200-pound pass-catcher had already been unleashed, just you wait.
If Year 1 was the warning shot, his sophomore campaign might be the takeover.