What pre-draft scouting reports said about Giants WR Malik Nabers

Malik Nabers grades out as a top-10 and blue-chip prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft. He’s my WR2 behind Marvin Harrison Jr., and in most other WR classes, the 20-year-old would be a viable WR1 candidate.

More than most of the 2024 NFL Draft’s WR prospects, Nabers effusively fulfills all the requirements of the three-level threat framework at WR: creating before, at, and after the catch. With his athleticism and physicality, he brings shades of Sterling Sharpe, and he has that kind of ultimate potential.

Before the catch is where Nabers has the most room to grow. He’s still learning how to efficiently combat press, and his plant and drive and sinking technique can improve as a route runner, mainly on routes that break back toward the ball.

Nevertheless, Nabers is a dynamic three-level weapon with near-unmatched upside. He has the stem IQ, speed, throttle control, stride freedom, and bend to separate on the vertical and horizontal planes. And at the catch point, he’s a smooth contortionist with body control, patience, and reliable hands.

Nabers’ most exciting moments, however, come as a run-after-catch threat. With his gliding explosiveness, agility and twitch, physicality, vision, and contact balance, he’s a weapon with the ball in his hands who can both create and elongate space, as well as navigate through congestion.

Considering his imperfect profile against the press and as a route runner, Nabers likely translates best as a versatile movement-Z early in his career. But within that role, he can thrash defenses on vertical routes and digs, make clutch catches, and he can also be schemed touches with his high-level RAC ability.

Nabers can be a dynamic offensive weapon on Day 1 of his NFL career, and in time, he has a perennial impact starter upside, with the three-level ability to be a focal point.