Patriots draft profile: Malik Nabers is everything you’d want from a wide receiver

The LSU product is one of the best wide receivers in this year’s draft.

There are certain phrases used in NFL-related discourse you typically only hear around the draft. One of those is “best player available.”

The question about drafting for need or going with whoever is the top-ranked player on the board — i.e. the best player available — is as old as the draft itself, and will always be somewhat relevant. Even with teams using multi-dimensional boards that stack both horizontally and vertically, there is potential for friction in this debate.

For the quarterback-needy New England Patriots, need will likely be a driving motivator at No. 3 overall; drafting a QB appears to be the likeliest outcome at this point in time. That passer, however, might not actually be the best player available for the team.

That player, at least according to the consensus big board compiled by NFL writer Arif Hasan, would be LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers.

Hard facts

Name: Malik Nabers

Position: Wide receiver

School: LSU

Opening day age: 21 (7/28/2003)

Measurements: 6’ 1/4”, 199 lbs, 76 1/8” wingspan, 31 3/8” arm length, 9 7/8” hand size, 4.38s 40-yard dash, 42” vertical jump, 10’9” broad jump, 15 bench press reps, 9.67 Relative Athletic Score

Experience

Career statistics: 38 games (30 starts) | 1,742 offensive snaps, 18 special teams snaps | 275 targets, 190 catches (69.1%), 3,015 receiving yards, 21 TDs | 5 carries, 16 rushing yards (3.2 yards/run) | 2 pass attempts, 2 completions (100%), 50 yards, 1 TD | 2 kickoff returns, 31 yards (15.5 yards/return) | 2 punt returns, -2 yards (-2 yards/return) | 2 fumbles, 2 muffed punts

Accolades: First-team All-SEC (2023), Unanimous All-American (2023), Citrus Bowl MVP (2022), Freshman All-SEC (2021)

Already a highly-productive wide receiver at Ovey Comeaux in Lafayette, LA, Nabers drew considerable interest coming out of high school even after he had to essentially sit out his senior season at Southside High School in Youngsville, LA, following a transfer. The four-star recruit nonetheless received several power five offers before eventually committing to LSU.

Nabers burst onto the scene right away. A six-game starter as a true freshman in 2021, he finished with 28 catches for 417 yards and four touchdowns. It was a sign of things to come for the young wideout, who ended his junior campaign with an SEC-leading 72 catches for 1,017 yards and three scores.

The arrow was pointing up after just two seasons in Baton Rouge, and Nabers continued to stay on his red-hot trajectory. His 2023 season ended as his best to date: playing in an offense that also featured fellow first-round draft prospects Jayden Daniels and Brian Thomas Jr., he left no doubt about his status as one of the nation’s top pass catchers. Nabers caught 89 passes for 1,569 yards and 14 touchdowns in his final college season.

After the 2023 was over, Nabers announced his decision to skip his senior campaign to turn pro.

Draft profile

Expected round: 1 (Top 10) | Consensus big board: No. 3 | Patriots meeting: Pro day

Strengths: Nabers is as promising a wide receiver as any in this year’s draft. While not the biggest or most physically imposing pass catcher, his movement skills are out of this world. He is a fluid athlete who offers an explosive mix of burst and straight-line speed, and can put defenders in a blender due to his change of direction abilities and balance.

His quickness at the line of scrimmage is an effective counter against press coverage, while it also allows him to execute precise cuts in his routes. His stop-and-go abilities are deadly, and he has a good feel for manipulating defensive backs: he varies his tempo effectively, can smoothly go through double moves without losing speed, and sells his routes very well by using ever-so-slight movements to throw defenders off their plan.

Nabers pairs his elusiveness and speed with some of the softest hands in the draft. He is a natural hands catcher who locates the ball well in the air and works his way back if needed. He also knows how to position himself relative to his leverage and the coverage, and has shown he can make catches outside his frame or in traffic. Quickly transitioning from receiver to runner, bringing him down with the ball in his hands is no easy task.

Weaknesses: Nabers offers a solid overall stature, but neither his weight (199 lbs) nor his length (31 3/8” arms) stand out. In general, he is not an overly physical player despite his ability to make catches in traffic and break tackles. His blocking success in the run game against NFL-level talent has yet to be determined.

He also had some ball security issues at LSU. Nabers fumbled the ball twice and muffed two punts, while also dropping 15 passes over the course of his career. Improved focus might help with that, but could also cost him some of his trademark agility and burst. Speaking of which, his 1.56-second 10-yard split is not necessarily impressive.

Patriots preview

What would be his role? Nabers is a three-level target capable of stressing defenses regardless of where he lines up. In New England, he would likely move all over the formation and play both on the perimeter and in the slot. A potential WR1, the goal would be to get him onto the field and feed him the football from early on in his career — regardless of which label is attached to his position or role. He is a playmaker, and needs to be used accordingly.

What is his growth potential? Even though he offers immediate starting traits, Nabers is still a developing player. He will not turn 21 until July, and may not yet have reached his full athletic potential. The old “the sky is the limit” saying is overused, but in his case an apt descriptor: his upside is immense considering the advanced foundation he already offers.

Does he have positional versatility? Nabers is an inside/outside option at wide receiver, capable of playing in the slot and on the perimeter. In addition, he also was used in other roles during his time at LSU: he carried the ball five times, attempted a pair of passes, and was a part-time return man. The Tigers knew that getting the ball in his hands was a good plan, and they did their best to accomplish that by any means necessary.

Why the Patriots? The Patriots lack a truly dynamic receiving option and Nabers is just that. He would instantly upgrade the team’s wide receiver group and passing offense as a whole, and play a prominent part in the offense from Day 1. Whoever the team’s quarterback will be in 2024 and beyond, he would have a top-tier weapon at his disposal with Nabers in the mix.

Why not the Patriots? A projected top 10 selection, the only realistic way for Nabers to end up in New England is on the other end of a trade down from the third overall selection. That is possible, but the signs point toward the Patriots wanting to use their first pick in the draft on a quarterback.

One-sentence verdict: Nabers is the total package at the wide receiver position, and would be a tremendous pickup in case New England decides to trade down from No. 3 after all.

What do you think about Malik Nabers as a potential Patriots target? Is landing him a realistic outcome? Or will New England not move into a spot to pick him up? Please head down to the comment section to share your thoughts.