Tag: malik nabers

Giants land a game-changing receiver in latest ESPN mock draft

A trend appears to be developing in most new mock drafts — at least as it relates to the New York Giants.

Despite rampant speculation that general manager Joe Schoen will select a quarterback, most expert mock drafts have the Giants going in a different direction. Some have them targeting an offensive lineman but the vast majority have them going with a wide receiver.

That’s the route ESPN’s Field Yates took in his most recent mock draft, projecting a top-tier, game-changing receiver to Big Blue at No. 6 overall.

Malik Nabers, WR, LSU

The Giants can land the most explosive player in the draft with Nabers, the former LSU star who plays at a warp speed that no defender can match. This would provide a huge boost to a Giants offense that had the second-fewest passing yards in the NFL last season and just 44 passing plays of 20-plus yards (better than just six other teams in the league).

Nabers is a massive play waiting to happen, with his vertical speed to stretch the field on deep shots and with his run-after-catch ability. He averaged 120.7 yards per game last season and caught 14 TDs. Daniel Jones needs that kind of production outside.

Malik Nabers is a name we’ve seen connected more and more to the Giants in recent days and weeks.

The 6-foot, 201-pound Nabers is arguably the No. 2 wide receiver available in the draft behind Marvin Harrison Jr. and just ahead of Rome Odunze, who has also been mocked to the Giants at a high rate.

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New York Giants select LSU wide receiver in latest NFL Network mock

The Super Bowl will take place this Sunday between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers but of the other 30 NFL teams, the offseason is in full swing.

That means getting ready for the NFL combine and draft. The New York Giants have seven selections this year: the sixth overall selection along with two second-round picks (Nos. 39 and 47), as well as No. 70 overall in Round 3.

With that first-round pick, several mock drafts have Big Blue adding a top wide receiver — something they missed out on last year in the first round — to help their struggling passing attack.

Eric Edholm of NFL.com predicts general manager Joe Schoen will take LSU wideout Malik Nabers at No. 6.

I strongly considered (Washington’s) Rome Odunze here, but Nabers might have a slightly higher ceiling, giving Brian Daboll a cross between, say, Stefon Diggs and DJ Moore as his top wideout. This offense needs help in a number of areas, but the WR talent might be too rich to pass up at this spot.

Also endorsing the Nabers pick is SNY’s Connor Hughes.

No doubt the Giants could use a player such as Nabers but they still have uncertainty at quarterback. Nabers can’t throw the ball to himself, after all.

The Giants would have to have Daniel Jones come back healthy and in time for the 2024 season from his ACL injury. They are locked into him for at least this season, and it appears the team is banking on Jones being their starter this season.

That could be a risky strategy given Jones’ injury history. Many believe the Giants could go quarterback in the first round should a top name fall to them.



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Giants select WR Malik Nabers in Mel Kiper’s first 2024 mock draft

The New York Giants hold the sixth overall selection in this April’s NFL draft. They are a team that can go in many directions after a disappointing 6-11 season.

So, which way will they go? Will they abandon the company line and draft over quarterback Daniel Jones? Or, will they double down on Jones and add a player who can support him, such as an offensive lineman or receiver?

Long-time ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. believes the Giants will look to add a weapon such as LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers.

The Giants got just six games out of quarterback Daniel Jones on the way to a lost season that showed some cracks in the foundation. Defensive coordinator Wink Martindale resigned after the season, and the offense under coordinator Mike Kafka struggled with Tyrod Taylor and Tommy DeVito under center. New York’s quarterbacks were sacked a whopping 85 times, the most in the league, and the offense ranked 30th in yards per play (4.5). The Giants used top-10 picks on offensive linemen in 2020 (Andrew Thomas) and 2022 (Evan Neal), but I absolutely could see them doing it again, as tackles Joe Alt (Notre Dame) and Olu Fashanu(Penn State) are still available in this scenario.

Still, I keep coming back to getting Jones more help, as he has never played with a true No. 1 wide receiver. Nabers could be that. He’s coming off an 89-catch, 1,569-yard season catching passes from Jayden Daniels, and he has a rare combination of speed and route-running ability. He led the FBS with 17 catches of 30-plus yards. The Giants had just 15 total 30-plus yard receptions last season, five of which were from rookie third-rounder Jalin Hyatt.

Kiper mocks Nabers to the Giants after predicting the first three players taken will be quarterbacks (Chicago — USC’s Caleb Williams, Washington — Jalen Daniels of LSU, and New England — Drake Maye of UNC) followed by Ohio State wideout Marvin Harrison Jr. (Arizona) and Georgia tight end Brock Bowers.

Will general manager Joe Schoen stick to his guns on Jones and Neal and roll the dice on a wide receiver? It’s possible. Nabers would be a great addition, but if Jones or the offensive line can’t stay healthy it will be like adding a shiny hood ornament to a car that’s always on a lift.

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Receivers begin to emerge for Giants in several mocks

The New York Giants have won back-to-back games, improving their record to 4-8 on the season. Those consecutive wins have cost them potential 2024 NFL draft positioning as they are currently slated to select sixth overall.

At No. 6, the Giants are likely out of the Caleb Williams and Drake Maye sweepstakes unless general manager Joe Schoen decides to trade up.

In most early mock drafts, trades are avoided. Accordingly, projecting who the Giants select has begun to vary greatly. Some are still sticking to quarterbacks but not all — we’ve seen wide receivers and offensive linemen creep in.

Here’s a round-up of the most recent mock drafts and who they have the Giants selecting.

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From The Athletic:

Over the past month, I think Nabers separated himself for several teams as WR2 in this draft. The only FBS pass catcher with 1,500-plus receiving yards in 2023, he also leads the country with 34 receptions of 20-plus yards. The only other college receiver with that many explosive catches over the last five years? Another LSU receiver, Ja’Marr Chase, who had 34 in 2019.

The Giants obviously still have high hopes for Jalin Hyatt and Wan’Dale Robinson, but adding Nabers gives the offense a legitimate No. 1 threat.

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From CBS Sports:

Daniels is my pick for largest riser during the pre-draft process. Big recruit, super athletic, strong arm, two big seasons in the SEC. Yeah, it checks out.

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From Sports Illustrated:

The Giants have plenty of needs, but nothing matters without the right quarterback. Yes, they just gave Daniel Jones a big contract extension, but he’ll be coming off a torn ACL, and his dead cap number will be manageable if they move on after 2024. Daniels has been the most dynamic player in all of college football this season, and his growth as a passer this season has launched him into the top-10 conversation.

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From Walter Football:

I think the Giants would draft one of the top two quarterbacks in this class, but if both are off the board once they’re on the clock, they’d probably find some help for Daniel Jones.

Brian Thomas Jr. is a huge receiver with great athleticism and upside.

SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK

From The 33rd Team:

LSU QB Jayden Daniels has stormed into the top-10 conversation with a Heisman-worthy performance in 2023. Showing the ability to win with his arm and his legs, Daniels has been one of college football’s most exciting quarterbacks and someone the New York Giants should consider. Daniels does not have the track record that Caleb Williams or Drake Maye has, so he likely won’t be considered ahead of them, but he has been more impressive than either of them in 2023.

Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

From PFF:

Fashanu is the top offensive tackle in the upcoming draft class and boasts elite size-movement skills. Drafting him to play opposite Andrew Thomas while kicking Neal inside could be the best vision for this New York offensive line.

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New York Giants add a receiver in PFN’s way-too-early 2024 mock draft

NFL training camps open this week, so hopefully this will be the end of 2024 mock drafts. But until the 2023 regular season news cycle kicks off, we will continue to entertain these exercises.

In a recent seven-round 2024 mock draft from Pro Football Network, one in which has the New York Giants selecting 20th overall (which means they qualified for the postseason this year), Big Blue is expected to continue to augment their passing attack.

20) New York Giants: Malik Nabers, WR, LSU

The Giants have assembled a respectable weapons corps for Daniel Jones. Darren Waller and Jalin Hyatt, in particular, should be very important additions from the 2023 offseason. But Parris Campbell is on a one-year deal, Isaiah Hodgins could be prone to a regression, and Wan’Dale Robinson hasn’t proven himself effective at the NFL level just yet. New York could use a true three-level threat to underpin the unit, and Malik Nabers fits the bill.

Though he weighs under 200 pounds, Nabers is one of the most effusive three-level threats in the 2024 NFL Draft WR class. Before the catch, he can offset and stack DBs with his combined lateral agility, foot speed, and explosiveness. At the catch, he’s a bird of prey with his reach, flexibility, and coordination. And after the catch, he has the speed and unnatural size-relative contact balance to consistently extend plays.

The analysis is pretty much spot on. The Giants do have a group of unprovens at the wide receiver position and if none of them can earn the respect of the team, they’ll likely be looking elsewhere for solutions.

With their second pick (No. 53 overall), PFN predicts the Giants will go back down to Maryland for another defensive back in safety Beau Brade.

Brade is another riser to keep an eye on as the 2024 NFL Draft progresses. Already, his strong 2022 tape has gone under the radar, but the 6’0″, 201-pound safety is an incredibly dynamic and versatile defender. He’s very natural roaming in coverage, explosive and energized when attacking downhill, a willing blitzer, and can make plays on the ball.

Not out of the realm of possibility given they could walk away from Xavier McKinney if he cannot overcome his hand injury and/or grasp the mantle as the leader in the secondary this year.

In the third round, PFN has the Giants taking Ohio State defensive tackle Tyleik Williams.

Williams is a unique prospect. He’s 6’3″, 320 pounds, and has the strength to encumber blocks and prevent displacement, but he also shows flashes of surprising one-on-one pass-rush proficiency. The Giants like those types of larger interior linemen.

The rest of the draft unfolds as follows:

  • Round 4, Pick 116 — Darian Chestnut, DB, LSU
  • Round 5, Pick 148 — Walter Parks, G, Clemson
  • Round 6, Pick 180 — Cedrick Gray, LB, North Carolina
  • Round 7, Pick 212 — Danny Stutsman, LB, Oklahoma

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