When the New York Giants took Malik Nabers sixth overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, they knew they were getting a dynamic playmaker... what they didn’t know was that they might’ve landed the league's next-best wide receiver.
Nabers finished his rookie season with a franchise-record 109 receptions, 1,204 receiving yards, and seven touchdowns in just 15 games, while catching passes from Daniel Jones, Drew Lock, and Tommy DeVito. The degree of difficulty can’t be overstated. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, in his recent top-10 wide receiver rankings article, likened it to rock climbing on stilts—likely helping Nabers land the seventh spot.
Here's how the rest of ESPN's top 10 shook out:
Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals
Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings
Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins
CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys
A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles
Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions
Malik Nabers, New York Giants
Nico Collins, Houston Texans
Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Garrett Wilson, New York Jets
That's not bad company for a guy catching passes from a quarterback carousel.
Turns out setting a franchise record at 21, earning a Pro Bowl nod, and making the All-Rookie Team gets you noticed. Shocker.
Malik Nabers could be the next best wide receiver in the NFL
Nabers had a truly special rookie season. You don't need to be an analyst to see he's different. As one NFC defensive coach said, "Some guys are just different. You don't have to watch him long to know that."
And he’s got a point. Nabers set the franchise record for receptions, and his 109 catches stand as the most ever by a rookie wide receiver. While tight end Brock Bowers holds the overall rookie mark, Nabers carved out his own place in the history books. He also became the first rookie to post 14 games with five or more receptions.
Fortunately for Giants fans, and likely unfortunately for everyone else, Nabers is far from a complete package. He's still got parts of his game he needs to iron out, which is objectively wild to think he could get better, but there's a chance he hasn't even scratched the surface of who he'll become:
"He can go 0 to 60 in three seconds like a Ferrari, but he's built like a truck," an NFL personnel evaluator said of Nabers. "And he's not even an elite route runner yet. Just wait until that happens."
Entering 2025, the sky’s the limit for Nabers. He racked up elite numbers last season despite shaky quarterback play, catching only 7 of 29 deep targets for 216 yards and two scores. With Russell Wilson now under center, armed with one of the league's best deep balls, Nabers is poised to better capitalize on those deep routes. His 2024 stat line was already historic. In 2025, it could be absurd.
Nabers gave the Giants exactly what they needed in Year 1. With improved quarterback play and a full season ahead, he’s set up for even more. Landing seventh on ESPN’s top 10 list speaks for itself—and it might only be the beginning.
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