# Malik Nabers

Malik Nabers (born July 28, 2003) is an American professional football wide receiver for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the LSU Tigers, earning unanimous All-American honors in 2023 and finishing as their all-time leader in receiving yards. Nabers was selected by the Giants sixth overall in the 2024 NFL draft. As a rookie, he broke the record for most receptions by a rookie receiver, as well as numerous franchise records, and was selected to the 2025 Pro Bowl.

## Early life

Nabers grew up in Lafayette, Louisiana and attended Ovey Comeaux High School before transferring to Southside High School in Youngsville, Louisiana for his senior year. He was unable to play football his senior year due to his transfer waiver being denied. In his final season of playing high school football, he led the state of Louisiana with 58 receptions for 1,223 yards and 21 touchdowns. Nabers originally committed to Mississippi State University to play college football before switching to Louisiana State University (LSU).

## College career

As a true freshman at LSU in 2021, Nabers played in 11 games with six starts and had 28 receptions for 417 yards and four touchdowns. He returned to LSU as a starter in 2022; Nabers was named MVP of the 2023 Citrus Bowl with nine catches for 163 yards and a touchdown pass thrown to quarterback Jayden Daniels. On September 16, 2023, he had 13 receptions for 239 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Mississippi State. For the 2023 season, he was named a unanimous All-American in after leading the FBS in receiving yards with 1,569. Nabers declared for the 2024 NFL draft following the season, finishing as LSU's all-time leader in receiving yards with 3,003.
College statistics :
| Season | Team | Games | Games | Receiving | Receiving | Receiving | Receiving |
| Season | Team | GP | GS | Rec | Yards | Avg | TD |
| 2021 | LSU | 11 | 6 | 28 | 417 | 14.9 | 4 |
| 2022 | LSU | 14 | 12 | 72 | 1,017 | 14.1 | 3 |
| 2023 | LSU | 13 | 13 | 89 | 1,569 | 17.6 | 14 |
| Career | Career | 38 | 31 | 189 | 3,003 | 15.9 | 21 |

## Professional career

Pre-draft measurables :
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press |
| 6 ft 0+1⁄4 in (1.84 m) | 199 lb (90 kg) | 31+3⁄8 in (0.80 m) | 9+7⁄8 in (0.25 m) | 4.35 s | 1.56 s | 2.54 s | 42.0 in (1.07 m) | 10 ft 9 in (3.28 m) | 15 reps |
| All values from Pro Day ||||||||||
Nabers was selected by the New York Giants sixth overall in the 2024 NFL draft. In his rookie offseason, he and former LSU teammate Jayden Daniels received training from the league on its gambling policy for proposing a friendly $10,000 bet on who would be named offensive rookie of the year. He signed his four-year rookie contract, worth $29.9 million fully guaranteed, on May 10, 2024. Nabers switched to the uniform number 1 after initially wearing 9 during the preseason, becoming the first Giant to wear it since 1935 when it was retired for Ray Flaherty.
In his NFL debut, Nabers had five receptions for 66 yards in a 28–6 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. He caught his first NFL touchdown pass in Week 2 against the Washington Commanders. In Week 3, he had 78 receiving yards and two touchdowns in a 21–15 win over the Cleveland Browns. He became the first player in NFL history to put up at least 20 receptions and three touchdown catches in his first three career games. He also became the youngest wide receiver in NFL history to record at least two touchdown receptions in a game at 21 years and 56 days old, surpassing the previous record set by Mike Evans at 21 years and 73 days old. In Week 16, he had 7 receptions for 68 yards, breaking Odell Beckham Jr's previously held record of 91 receptions as a rookie. On December 29, 2024, during the Week 17 game against Indianapolis Colts Nabers and Tyrone Tracy became the 3rd rookie duo in NFL history to each record 1,000 yards from scrimmage. Nabers ended the game with 7 receptions, 171 yards and two touchdowns in a 45–33 win over the Colts. In Week 18, Nabers broke the Giants' franchise record for most single-season receptions, previously held by Steve Smith with 107 in 2009. Nabers ended his rookie season with 1,204 receiving yards and seven touchdowns on 109 receptions, in 15 games.

## Personal life

Nabers' uncle, Gabe, played 26 games as a running back for the Los Angeles Chargers from 2020 to 2021.

## NFL career statistics

Legend :
| Bold | Career high |

### Regular season

| Year | Team | Games | Games | Receiving | Receiving | Receiving | Receiving | Receiving | Receiving | Receiving | Rushing | Rushing | Rushing | Rushing | Rushing | Fumbles | Fumbles |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | Tgt | Rec | Yds | Avg | Y/G | Lng | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost |
| 2024 | NYG | 15 | 14 | 170 | 109 | 1,204 | 11.0 | 80.3 | 59 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0.4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Career | Career | 15 | 14 | 170 | 109 | 1,204 | 11.0 | 80.3 | 59 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0.4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |

### NFL records

Source:
* Most receptions by a rookie WR in a single season: 109
* Youngest WR with multiple touchdowns in a game : 21 years and 56 days
* Fastest to reach 100 career receptions : 14 games (tied with Odell Beckham Jr.)
* Most targets by a rookie in a season : 170
* Most receptions at home by a rookie in a season: 58

### New York Giants franchise records

* Most receptions in a season : 109
* Youngest player to score a touchdown in a game : 21 years and 49 days
* Most receptions in a rookie season : 109
* Most receptions in a game by a rookie wide receiver: 12 (tied with Odell Beckham Jr.)