Malik Nabers’ rookie campaign was nothing short of sensational. Even during a miserable 3-14 season that felt like rock bottom for the New York Giants, Nabers gave fans a reason to tune in. While the rest of the offense was barely holding on, Nabers looked more like a tenured vet than some rookie. He proved he belonged and showed he could elevate an entire offense by himself.
Despite catching passes from a quarterback carousel that included Daniel Jones, Tommy DeVito, Drew Lock, and Tim Boyle, Nabers still shattered the Giants’ single-season receptions record. His exceptional playmaking ability, route running, and dynamic run-after-catch ability saw him become one of the most electric receivers in the league.
And that’s exactly why general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll are building the offense around him—signing veterans like Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston and drafting Jaxson Dart to find a long-term solution under center.
If the G-Men were looking for a reason to believe they could turn things around, Nabers is doing an awfully good job at convincing them.
Giants have a true superstar in Malik Nabers
Jonathon Macri of Pro Football Focus clearly sees what Giants fans have been screaming from the rooftops. In his latest ranking of the top 25 players under 25 heading into the 2025 season, Macri slotted Malik Nabers at No. 15 overall. Nabers was the only Giant to make the list, but Macri makes a compelling case for him to be even higher on the list:
"Nabers is the closest rookie receiving threat to Brock Bowers coming out of 2024, and depending on which metric you want to favor, there’s a reasonable argument he could be ahead of him on this list. In a stacked 2024 rookie wide receiver class, Nabers was the best of the bunch, leading the group in PFF receiving grade (87.1) and targets (165) — both top-10 marks for the position," Macri wrote.
"Nabers was also the only rookie wide receiver to crack the top 10 in PFF WAR in 2024, ranking as the Giants’ most valuable player in that regard by a significant margin."
Nabers has already established himself as the face of the offense. And the stats back it up: 109 receptions, 1,204 yards, 7 touchdowns, and a Pro Bowl nod. But beyond the numbers, what really stood out was how he made a completely broken offense at least semi-functional. Without him, this unit would’ve been unwatchable.
That’s why fans are hyped about what’s next—because this is only the beginning.
Now, with Wilson throwing moonballs (at least for now), and rookie Jaxson Dart waiting in the wings, the setup is finally in place for Nabers to go from star to superstar. Dart’s former college coach, Lane Kiffin, has already said the pairing of Dart and Nabers “will be an amazing pair for a long time to come,” and it's almost impossible to disagree.
It’s not surprising Nabers made the list. He’s not even 22 and already the face of the offense. If things go right, he won’t be the only Giant on there for long—Abdul Carter and Jaxson Dart could be next.