LSU has produced several top-flight NFL wide receivers in recent years, and 2024 NFL Draft prospect Malik Nabers leaves the program as decorated as any of them. He set the school record for receiving yards with 3,003 and receptions (189) in three seasons.
He won SEC All-Freshman recognition in 2021 on the strength of four TDs, and broke out as a sophomore with a conference-leading 72 grabs. Nabers saved his best for last, going for a masterful stat line of 89 catches, 1,569 yards and 14 aerial touchdowns as a junior. He paced the SEC in receptions, finished second in yardage, and was good for third in scoring among FBS competition. All told, Nabers was selected as a First-team All-SEC member and First-team Associated Press All-American.
Height: 6-foot
Weight: 200 pounds
40 time: 4.35 seconds (unofficial)
Table: WR Malik Nabers, LSU (2021-23)
*includes postseason/bowl games (stats from Sports Reference)
**player gained extra year of eligibility due to COVID-19 pandemic
Pros
- Explosive playmaker — ranks in the 92nd percentile for broad jump and vertical jump among wideouts — averaged a hearty 15.9 yards per grab over three seasons
- Ran 4.35 at his Pro Day, which would have been in the top 8% of all receivers to have run at the NFL combine
- Has a legit second gear to chase down overthrown balls
- Premium hands — catches away from his body and flashes late deployment
- Plays from any receiver spot but was more productive out of the slot
- Quality route runner who typically demonstrates advanced knowledge throughout the route tree — understands how to sell fakes (damning double move) and varies his speed
- Built thickly enough to power through arm tackles and fight for tough yardage — plays bigger than he measures
- Competitive nature jumps off the screen
- Has the rare ability to be many different wide receiver models — can be a bull in a china shop in traffic, run past people on verticals, and win high-point battles on 50/50 balls
- Fits just about any system
- Has the functional strength and hands to develop into a plus blocker
Cons
- Overall has great hands, but you’ll find what look to be concentration-lapse drops on otherwise routine catches
- Displays more linear burst and isn’t really twitched up laterally
- Shows a better grasp vs. zone coverage than man
- Occasionally gets handsy at the top of his route when trying to gain separation — picky NFL refs could call fouls for excessive hand checks
Fantasy football outlook
Such an impressive resume in the nation’s toughest conference as well as imposing physical traits place Nabers among the top picks — regardless of position — in the upcoming draft. While it may be a lazy comparison to some, there’s a blend of former LSU Tigers Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson in his aerial game, but Nabers has flashes of guys like Deebo Samuel and A.J. Brown with the ball in his hands.
A trio of quarterbacks are likely to go in the first three picks, and this Louisiana native is in a three-way competition to be the top receiver chosen. Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. figures to be the first wideout off the board, perhaps as high as No. 4 overall (Arizona Cardinals), and in that case Nabers vs. Washington’s Rome Odunze becomes the decision for several teams in the top 10, including the Los Angeles Chargers (No. 5), New York Giants (No. 6), and Chicago Bears (No. 9).
Of course, any number of teams could be in love with what they see in Nabers and trade up to secure his services. Without knowing where he’ll play this year, a precise fantasy valuation will have to wait a few more days, but Nabers could range from a high-end No. 3 to a low-tier WR1 as a rookie. He’s more than just a deep threat and will develop into a phenomenal pro, possibly as soon as Year 1.
