Editor’s Note: This article was previously published on March 9th on our sister site as part of their ongoing NFL draft preview series.
Malik Nabers NFL Draft Overview:
Height: 6’ 0”
Weight: 200 lbs.’
School: LSU
2024 NFL Draft: Malik Nabers Scouting Report
Other than quarterback, no position strikes fear into secondaries and is revered by fans more than wide receiver. These gazelles of the gridiron can turn around a game’s momentum in a heartbeat with a big gain or an exciting catch in the end zone. Who can forget the one-handed grab by Odell Beckham Jr., or any number of amazing catches by Randy Moss? They are usually flamboyant and quite outspoken, but carry a lot of weight in the draft. It was wide receiver, Texas’ Xavier Worthy, who broke the NFL Combine record for the 40-yard dash this year with a blistering 4.21 seconds.
LSU’s Malik Nabers could become the next marquee wide receiver in the NFL. He recorded over 1,000 yards two years in a row for a college career of 189 catches, 3,003 yards, and 21 touchdowns over three years. Those figures put him as the leading pass receiver for the Bengal Tigers.
Nabers comes from a long line of outstanding wideouts from LSU. That would include the aforementioned Beckham with the Ravens, the Vikings’ Justin Jefferson, and the Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase.
Nabers was invited to the Combine this year but decided to sit out the drills. He did attend but only participated in the interviews and the mental acuity tests. His draft rank is at No. 2 in terms of wide receivers behind Marvin Harrison Jr. However, the are some pundits at ESPN who believe he might leapfrog Harrison Jr.. Whatever the outcome, he is expected to go in the top five.
Malik Nabers 2024 NFL Profile
Strengths:
- Explosive speed with the acceleration and agility to improvise routes if necessary
- Long elegant frame and able to go over the top of the defensive backs
- Soft hands with the ability to catch away from the body or in the chest
- Superlative run-after-catch (RAC) accounting for his yardage records
- Tracking the ball is one of his fortes even outside the frame
- Keeps the DBs on their heels using micro-movements and breakaway capability
- Has excellent body control and can leverage tight coverage to his advantage.
- Has intuitive separation IQ, evidently developed at LSU. This allows him to work his way back to the ball when primary routes don’t workout.
- Besides receiving, he can be a fierce blocker and adapts to defenders
- Has what has been called an unnaturally strong center of gravity
Weaknesses
- Height is not in the elite classes of receivers, but considered average
- Wastes time and doesn’t release quickly enough at times.
- Inconsistency in traffic. Doesn’t always attack the ball every time
- When the pass is a toss-up, can be inconsistent in positioning himself correctly
- In the above scenario, his eye-hand coordination and hand spacing is inconsistent
- Wastes steps in setting up his routes at times
- Needs improvement speeding up the swivel on curls
NFL Comparison: Justin Jefferson or Ja’Marr Chase
Projection: First round, potentially in the top five
Best Fits: New York Giants, Tennessee Titans, Atlanta Falcons, Los Angeles Chargers
Bottom Line on Malik Nabers
Fans always anticipate the drafting of a wide receiver, especially one as talented as Nabers. The wonderment is in where they will go and if such a star will be drafted for their team. When you add in the battle for the number one wide receiver spot, it only adds to the intrigue. Nabers and Harrison Jr. both sat out the Combine, but they showed their stuff all season, and Nabers is making some in the press question about Harrison in the number one spot.
It should be easy to see that Nabers will be an impact player for whichever team selects him. His speed, hands, and yards-after-catch already have coaches drooling at the prospect of having him on their team. Expect the impact to surface in his rookie year. Sure, development will take him to the elite group of wideouts like Moss, Lamb, or Jefferson eventually, but he has the tools to make a difference right away.
