Tag: malik nabers

49ers draft pick CB Renardo Green shut down No. 6 overall pick WR Malik Nabers in college matchup

49ers draft pick Renardo Green dominated the No. 6 overall pick WR Malik Nabers in a head-to-head matchup.

LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers went well before Florida State cornerback Renardo Green. The Giants selected Nabers No. 6 overall while the 49ers took Green off the board 58 picks later at No. 64 overall. Nabers might’ve been the better prospect, but nobody would know that based on their head-to-head matchup.

Florida State and LSU faced off to open the 2023 college season. The Seminoles dominated the game 45-24 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. Part of the reason Florida State dominated was because of Green’s effectiveness in taking Nabers out of the game.

The No. 6 overall pick was targeted five times when guarded by Green and caught two passes for 20 yards per Pro Football Focus. Green managed an interception on one of the throws to Nabers, meaning he finished with just one fewer catch than Nabers on balls thrown the wide receiver’s way.

If Green continues stepping up in big games like that as a pro he could wind up being one of the steals of the draft as the final pick in Round 2.

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Photos of LSU’s Jayden Daniels, Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. at 2024 NFL draft

The trio represented the most LSU players drafted in the first round since 2020.

The first round of the 2024 NFL draft on Thursday night was an eventful one for former LSU Tigers.

In total, three were taken in the first 32 picks — quarterback [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] (second overall, Washington Commanders), receiver [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] (sixth overall, New York Giants) and receiver [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag] (23rd overall, Jacksonville Jaguars) — marking the most LSU players drafted in the first round since 2020.

It was also the first time LSU had two top-10 picks since 2017, and the Tigers became the first program in the modern era to have a quarterback and receiver tandem both picked in the top 10, though that feat was matched later the same night by Washington.

Daniels, Nabers and Thomas all attended the draft in person in Detroit and went on stage to shake commissioner Roger Goodell’s hand. Here are the best photos from their special night at the draft.

LSU becomes 1st school to have QB and WR duo picked in top 10

LSU made history Thursday, becoming the first school in the modern era to have a quarterback and wide receiver selected in the top 10 of the same draft.

LSU made history in the first round of the NFL draft, becoming the first school in the modern draft era to have a quarterback and wide receiver selected in the top 10 of the same draft.

The Commanders picked LSU quarterback [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] with the No. 2 pick before LSU wide receiver [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] joined the NFC East a few picks later, going to the Giants with the No. 6 pick. Both destinations were popular mock draft slots for the top LSU prospects.

A few picks later, Washington became the second school to accomplish the feat when quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and wide receiver Rome Odunze went No. 8 and No. 9, respectively.

Later in the draft, another LSU prospect came off the board: [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag] went to the Jaguars at No. 23.

Daniels, Nabers and Thomas heading to the league is reminiscent of another trio to come out of Baton Rouge in recent years. [autotag]Joe Burrow[/autotag], [autotag]Justin Jefferson[/autotag] and [autotag]Ja’Marr Chase[/autotag] did something similar, but that trio was split over two drafts.

If Daniels, Nabers and Thomas go on to have the same success of Burrow, Jefferson and Chase, life will go well for the newest LSU trio in the NFL.

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Malik Nabers to follow in Odell Beckham Jr.’s footsteps with Giants

The Giants will count on Malik Nabers to make a similar rookie impact to Odell Beckham Jr.’s.

The New York Giants selected LSU’s [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] on Thursday night, making him the third LSU receiver since 2010 to be drafted by the franchise, joining [autotag]Odell Beckham Jr.[/autotag] and [autotag]Reuben Randle[/autotag].

In 2014, the Giants chose Beckham with the 13th pick. Ten years later, New York went back to the well, using another top 10 pick on an LSU pass catcher.

Nabers was the second receiver off the board after Marvin Harrison Jr. went to the Cardinals with the No. 4 pick. Nabers at No. 6 was not a surprise; plenty of mocks slotted him there entering the night.

The Giants will count on Nabers to make the same impact Beckham did as a rookie in 2014. Beckham racked up 1,305 yards in 12 games during his rookie campaign.

Beckham played five seasons with the Giants, totaling 5,746 yards and 44 touchdowns in that span. The two parted ways after Beckham’s initial contract, but those five years worked out pretty well.

If Nabers puts up similar numbers, the Giants will be happy with their pick.

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Malik Nabers wants to be ‘a great teammate, leader’ for Giants

Malik Nabers joins the New York Giants with a focus on being a great teammate and leader from Day 1.

The New York Giants “got their guy” in LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers with the sixth overall selection in Thursday night’s NFL draft.

It was 10 years ago already that the Giants drafted another stud wideout from LSU, Odell Beckham Jr. Some have tried to compare Nabers to OBJ, but that might be a stretch.

On Thursday night at his presser at the draft in Detroit, Nabers was asked about his relationship with his fellow alum.

“I don’t have a relationship with him, but I’m just trying to be the best football player I can possibly be for the Giants organization,” Nabers said.

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“I’m not coming in trying to replace Odell, I’m just trying to lean into my own legacy.”

So, that’s out of the way — for now. Nabers took the high road on most of the questions asked him, saying his actions would speak louder than words.

When asked what type of person the Giants were getting in him, Nabers kept it simple.

“A great teammate, a great leader, a great person on the field and off the field, and that’s it,” he said.

In the lead-up to the draft, Nabers had questions about the Giants’ quarterback situation, but it doesn’t appear the Giants are moving away from Daniel Jones, for this season anyway.

“I’m sure I’ll be hearing from him soon,” Nabers said of Jones. “I’m ready to get in, work with him, learn what kind of quarterback he is, and catch footballs from him.”

Nabers spoke about his conversations with head coach Brian Daboll, who made an impression on him in the pre-draft process.

“He has a great personality, he makes people laugh that are in the room. He’s going to compete with you for sure, he has high standards for his athletes. So I am hoping he has high standards for me and I live up to those,” Nabers said.

Nabers has never been to New York City and said he’ll need some assistance in finding his way.

“I’m excited to see the city, excited to be with my teammates and learn the offense, learn my quarterback, and just be in New York. I never been to New York, only been there once. Living there, I’m going to need some help,” Nabers said.

“I know it’s a great city. I’m going to bring my family with me, bring God with me, bring the dog mentality that I have there.”

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Daniel Jones ‘fired up’ after Giants select WR Malik Nabers

New York Giants GM Joe Schoen said QB Daniel Jones was “fired up” for the selection of LSU receiver Malik Nabers in the 2024 NFL draft.

The first round of the 2024 NFL draft revealed a lot about the state of the New York Giants and their future at quarterback.

General manager Joe Schoen had his sights on a quarterback in the first round of the draft — and tried to swing a deal to get one of the top ones — but his efforts reportsly fell short.

“I think I said last week we were going to have conversations in front of us,” Schoen said. “We actually had conversations behind us. There was an opportunity for us to move out of the pick. So we had conversations. We had different plans in place. And we’re excited to have Malik Nabers here, so we’re real happy with the way it worked out.”

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The “consolation prize” for not landing a quarterback was LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers, who they selected with the sixth overall pick in the first round.

That was good news for Giants incumbent quarterback Daniel Jones. Not only will his job be waiting for him when he completes rehabbing his torn ACL, but he’ll also have a top-flight receiver to play catch with in Nabers.

On Thursday night, after the Giants selected Nabers, Schoen was asked if he had any contact with Jones over the pick.

“He’s fired up,” said Schoen. “I texted him Malik’s number. That’s one of the first things I did. And he’s fired up about it. He knew before it was announced on ESPN and NFL Network.”

Asked if he saw quarterback as a high priority in the remaining two days of the draft, Schoen seemed confident with the cards in his hand.

“I’m comfortable with where we’re at,” he said.

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Jim Harbaugh sticks to guns with selection of Joe Alt: ‘Offensive linemen, we look at as weapons’

Jim Harbaugh and Joe Hortiz sounded off on the Chargers’ selection of Joe Alt.

The Chargers drafted offensive tackle Joe Alt at No. 5 in the 2024 NFL draft.

While not a luxurious pick, it meshed with Jim Harbaugh’s desire to inject the team with a physical, rugged, and imposing brand of football through the trenches.

“Offensive linemen we look at as weapons,” Harbaugh said. “When we talk about attacking on offense… Offensive line is the tip of the spear.”

Alt played left tackle throughout his collegiate career, where Rashawn Slater has played and earned All-Pro status in 2021. Despite the addition of Alt, Slater will remain the team’s blindside blocker.

Harbaugh and Joe Hortiz did not directly say where Alt would play but did say that he would be a tackle, which could indicate that he will be the starting right tackle.

If Alt is the starting right tackle, he would overtake Trey Pipkins. Harbaugh was non-committal about Pipkins’ job status, calling him “one of our best five right now.”

“Don’t rule anything out, who’s going to play where. We’re going to play the best five that we have on the team.”

Despite being only 21 years old, Alt plays like a veteran. He is a polished and physical lineman who possesses great size/length, overall technique, and strength.

“You’re talking about a guy who’s still growing and maturing,” Hortiz said. “The upside with him is tremendous.”

Alt’s services will benefit Justin Herbert, who has been one of the most pressured quarterbacks since entering the league in 2020. He will also improve the ground game, which hasn’t been efficient for over a decade.

“He drives off the line of scrimmage,” Hortiz said about his run-blocking skills. “You watch him move players over three gaps on his down blocks. He’s very athletic. Excellent range. High-level competitor.”

Even after the addition of Alt, look for the work not to stop there.

“We’re not done with the offensive line either,” Hortiz added.

Jaguars trade back, select LSU WR Brian Thomas Jr. with 23rd pick in 2024 NFL draft

Brian Thomas Jr. is teaming up with Trevor Lawrence in Jacksonville.

[autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag] is joining forces with Trevor Lawrence in Jacksonville.

After trading back from their original slot at No. 17, the Jacksonville Jaguars selected the former LSU receiver with the 23rd pick in the 2024 NFL draft. Thomas joins a receiving corps in need of a clear No. 1. It added Gabe Davis to a group that includes Christian Kirk and Zay Jones but lost Calvin Ridley in free agency.

Thomas was the fourth receiver taken after Marvin Harrison Jr., former teammate [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] and Rome Odunze. He’s the third LSU player to be selected in the first round. [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] went second, marking the most LSU players selected in the first round since 2020.

After splitting targets with other receivers during his college career, he has the chance to become a clear No. 1 at the next level for the Jaguars.

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Joe Schoen ‘ecstatic’ after Giants ‘got their guy,’ Malik Nabers

New York Giants GM Joe Schoen says he was “ecstatic” to land their guy, WR Malik Nabers, which was a sentiment shared by QB Daniel Jones.

The early part of the first round of the 2024 NFL draft didn’t play out the way some New York Giants fans had hoped but the team’s general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll couldn’t care less.

They are walking away from the first round with the player they came to get — LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers.

The Giants, who many have reported tried to trade up to select UNC quarterback Drake Maye, landed their top target instead.

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Schoen said he was “ecstatic” over the pick and used the word “electric” several times when describing Nabers and Daboll said that the newest Giant was a “dog on the field.”

“I love his personality. He’s a very, very competitive young man,” added Daboll.

The pick comes 10 years after the Giants used a first-round pick on another LSU wideout. Perhaps you’ve heard of him.

Schoen also revealed that he called quarterback Daniel Jones before submitting the pick and noted that the team’s starting quarterback was “fired up” over his new weapon.

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Instant 2024 NFL Draft grades: New York Giants select Malik Nabers, WR, LSU 6th overall

Instant 2024 NFL Draft grades: New York Giants select Malik Nabers, WR, LSU 6th overall

The New York Giants hold pat to commit to Daniel Jones and help him out with one of the premiere weapons of the draft in LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers.

Nabers is a big-play machine who will walk in from day one and be the top receiver on the New York roster. Nabers has the ability to force teams to play deep and respect him at all times and add another dimension to what was a stale Giants offense.

With elite speed, the best acceleration in the draft, and unequaled explosion, Nabers is the perfect fit for a Giants offense that has been waiting for an answer at wide receiver since the departure of Odell Beckham Jr.

Grade: A