Malik Nabers ready to make a difference for the Giants

Steve Serby

NFL

By Steve Serby

Malik Nabers changes a lot for the Giants, and maybe for Daniel Jones. He will bring the Giants out of the offensive dark ages and direct them to the end zone. He will make Brian Daboll a better signal caller. He will make the Giants more fun to watch.

Nabers makes the difference.

But what difference will LSU's vaunted receiver be able to make for this team and this quarterback?

“I think he can be a great weapon for us,” Jones said at minicamp. “He can do everything, there’s not much he can’t do from a road racing standpoint. He is dynamic in all directions with the ball in his hands, and strong, fast, explosive, catches the ball well. Yes, he is doing very well.

Jones will have the quickest, quickest group of receivers he's had in his six-year career, but it's Nabers who is his first true No. 1. It's Nabers who was drafted to replace Saquon Barkley as the Giants' most feared playmaker. .

“I feel like there’s no pressure,” Nabers said. “I mean, I've played football my whole life, I'm just trying to keep up with the guys here, take the competition out of me that these older guys want to see from me. I'm just trying to be myself, improve my game every day I'm here.

I asked him what impact he thought he could make as a rookie.

“I’m not sure,” Nabers said. “I can't help but be a great teammate to the guys here, help my team win football games, do whatever coach Daboll wants me to do on offense.”

Does he see himself as a difference maker?

“Yeah, sure,” Nabers said, “but right now I’m just trying to cut down on the offense.”

He electrified Thursday's practice like Odell Beckham Jr. did a decade ago during his rookie season.

“When I’m on the field, the level of competition is at its highest level,” Nabers said. “I bring the dog, I bring the juice when I’m there.”

Message to Jones and Daboll: Just give him the damn ball.

Asked about his qualities on the field, Nabers replied: “Speed, huge catch radius… that’s really it. I guess they have to see the day of the game.

There are too many variables from year to year, decade or era to today's happier NFL for anyone to call themselves any Nostradamus.

A look back at the impact of rookie receivers drafted in the first round on a team's success:

Beckham had 91 receptions, 1,305 yards and 13 touchdowns, but the Tom Coughlin-Eli Manning Giants fell from 7-9 to 5-11 in 2014.

CeeDee Lamb went 74-935-5, but the Cowboys went from 8-8 to 6-10 in 2020 after Dak Prescott (ankle) played in just five games.

Justin Jefferson was 88-1,400-7, but Kirk Cousins' Vikings slipped from 10-6 to 7-9 in 2020.

Garrett Wilson was 83-1 103-4 in 2022, but the Jets finished 7-10 after 4-13.

Julio Jones was 54-959-8 and helped the Falcons to a 10-6 record and a 2011 playoff loss to the Giants, following a 13-3 season and a 2011 playoff loss. division in 2010.

Mike Evans was 68-1,051-12 in 2014, but the Buccaneers went from 4-12 to 2-14…with QBs Mike Glennon and Josh McCown.

The grand slam home run was Ja'Marr Chase, who was 81-1,455-13 to help Joe Burrow and the 2021 Bengals win a Super Bowl. Chase's 368 receiving yards in the playoffs set a rookie record, breaking the previous record of 242 set by Torry Holt in 1999.

Sammy Watkins was 65-982-6 and helped the Bills go from 6-10 to 9-7 in 2014.

AJ Green was 65-1,067-7 and helped the Bengals improve to 9-7 after going 4-12 in 2010.

Flip the clock:

Jerry Rice had a record of 49-927-3, but the 1985 Niners went 10-6 and lost a wild card playoff game in 1985 to the Giants after winning the Super Bowl a year earlier.

Calvin “Megatron” Johnson was 48-756-4 and helped the Lions go from 3-13 to 7-9 in 2007.

Nabers was the talk of the town during the offseason.

“He’s going to have a great career,” linebacker Bobby Okereke said.

The Kid Who Wears No. 9: Get the popcorn ready, Giants fans.