On the road against Mississippi State on Saturday, LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers caught 10 passes for 188 yards and two touchdowns … in the first half. He finished the afternoon — an easy 41-14 LSU victory — with 13 catches for 239 yards (both career highs) and those two TDs.
It was a dominant showing by Nabers, a 2024 NFL Draft prospect whose most productive outing before Saturday came in a nine-catch, 163-yard Citrus Bowl performance against Purdue last January. That flash hinted at Nabers’ potential, and it helped drive his preseason ranking (No. 14) on Dane Brugler’s Big Board.
Dane Brugler's preseason WR rankings
| Player | School | Ht, Wt |
|---|---|---|
1. Marvin Harrison Jr. | 6-3, 205 | |
2. Malik Nabers | 6-0, 195 | |
3. Emeka Egbuka | 6-1, 205 | |
4. Keon Coleman | 6-4, 215 | |
5. Rome Odunze | 6-3, 217 |
What did Saturday’s breakout game mean for Nabers’ draft stock? How high can he rise in the 2024 class?
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Can Nabers cement himself as the 2024 draft’s No. 2 receiver prospect?
The battle for WR2 (behind Marvin Harrison Jr.) might be as fun as the QB3 race. Nabers has impressive acceleration to create his own separation, especially on downfield routes, and he snatches the ball cleanly, regardless of the catch location.
His performance against Mississippi State reinforced why he is in the thick of that WR2 race. But he certainly has competition.
Take Your Shot @JayD__5 @whyguard13 TOUCHDOWN pic.twitter.com/E8705KXEsB
— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) September 16, 2023
I was high on Florida State’s Keon Coleman entering the season, and he has already surpassed my expectations. Another transfer, Adonai Mitchell at Texas, threw his name in the ring with his performance against Alabama. Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka and Washington’s Rome Odunze are in the mix, too.
It’s important to remember that each of these receivers is different in terms of what they offer, so they won’t be graded the same way from team to team. Regardless, this is shaping up to be another impressive draft class of receiving prospects. — Dane Brugler
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More thoughts on Nabers’ upside
Some will make the mistake of devaluing Nabers because of his lack of overwhelming size — and they’ll pay the price for it. Nabers can line up anywhere on the field, and he can win from any spot. Nabers shows outstanding burst and acceleration at all times, especially when someone presses him without great technique or starts guessing at the top of his routes.
Nabers sort of feels like a faster version of Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the No. 20 pick in April. Nabers has top-15 potential, thanks to the full package he brings as a receiver with reliable hands through contact and in the air.
Harrison is obviously still the top WR on the board, but it’s important to note here that Nabers — unlike Harrison at the moment — is playing with a confident QB this season. Jayden Daniels had a rough start versus Florida State a couple of weeks ago, but he’s a legitimate NFL prospect, which he showed early and often Saturday. He opened the game 21-of-22 for 255 yards and two TDs, and he finished with 361 yards passing and four total touchdowns. — Nick Baumgardner
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Nabers’ combination of size and speed in the slot makes it easy for LSU to draw up an offense that features his best traits. He’s more smooth than sudden, and his potential route tree isn’t as full as it could be, but his hands are reliable in traffic or at the highest point. At the next level, he’d be your near-prototypical move-Z or F receiver — that differentiates him from Coleman and Odunze, who are best at tearing the top off a defense on the perimeter.
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Egbuka is in a similar mold to Nabers, but the LSU receiver’s size gives him a slight edge. Nabers isn’t without fault — I’m still looking for consistent production against top competition, for one. But with the passing offense revolving around him in 2023, we should know by LSU’s matchup against Alabama on Nov. 4 whether Nabers is a top three receiver in this class. — Diante Lee
Required reading
• NFL Draft summer scouting: Beyond Marvin Harrison Jr., which WRs pop?
• 2024 NFL Draft: Brock Bowers and 9 other intriguing prospects from the SEC
• Malik Nabers’ MVP statement, more expected in 2023: LSU Citrus Bowl takeaways
(Photo: Justin Ford / Getty Images)
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