Latest news with #Nabers
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Russell Wilson Improves Giants' Offense Ranking
Russell Wilson Improves Giants' Offense Ranking originally appeared on Athlon Sports. A season ago, the New York Giants entered camp with little optimism surrounding the offense. Quarterback Daniel Jones, recovering from an ACL tear, had run out of goodwill with the fanbase. Receiver Malik Nabers was all the rage as he obliterated opposing corners and made one-handed catches throughout the summer, but tied to Jones, expectations were low. At running back, well, nobody was going to fill Saquon Barkley's shoes. Advertisement Things went about as poorly as pessimistic fans may have anticipated. Jones struggled before eventually being benched (and released). Nabers was among the best receivers in the league but grew visibly frustrated with his offensive environment. And just half a season into a three-year deal, running back Devin Singletary was unseated by rookie Tyrone Tracy Jr. In 2025, New York's offense is incredibly similar, with the only change coming at quarterback. General manager Joe Schoen is banking that Russell Wilson will make the difference and elevate a unit that crashed and burned last season. In Sports Illustrated's ranking of each team's offensive trio, the Giants' placement reveals Wilson's true value. Ultimately, New York ranked 23rd, between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots. Advertisement 'This isn't a trio that will get the Giants to the Super Bowl, or likely even the playoffs, but it's better than what the team has been trotting out in recent years,' Matt Verderame wrote. 'Nabers is a burgeoning superstar after posting a 1,000-yard season as a rookie, while Wilson is basically Joe Montana compared to Daniel Jones and Tommy DeVito. Tracy is also a solid back after registering 839 yards and five touchdowns on 4.4 YPC last year.' It goes without saying that the quarterback position held New York back a season ago, which means Wilson doesn't have to be elite to represent a massive improvement. Bridging the gap from bad to average can net serious benefits, especially if the Giants' defense takes advantage of their newfound opportunities. Wilson ranked 21st in expected points added per play, 26th in success rate, and sixth in completion percentage over expected (per rbsdm). Jones, in his shortened season, ranked 27th, 19th, and 16th, respectively. Also adding to New York's upswing is the perception of Nabers. Heading into his rookie year, Nabers was a high-profile prospect but still an unknown. By the end month of games, he put that to rest. Emerging as a superstar undoubtedly played a role in adding credibility to the unit. Advertisement Ultimately, it's hard to see the Giants' offense emerging as above-average in 2025. If it can provide a stable environment for Jaxson Dart to eventually blossom, Wilson will have done more than enough for his one season in New York. Related: Giants Star Key to Russell Wilson Signing Related: NFC East Positional Rankings: Do Giants' Quarterbacks Matter? This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Giants Star Key to Russell Wilson Signing
Giants Star Key to Russell Wilson Signing originally appeared on Athlon Sports. There are several levels to stardom in the NFL. There are good players on bad teams receiving merely the hype of a single fanbase. Then, there are blue-chip building blocks that quickly become locks to be extended. Between them and the true superstars taking over the sport are the players that the rest of the league puts stock in. Advertisement New York Giants receiver Malik Nabers hasn't emerged as a top-five receiver just yet. But he's good enough to lure in competent quarterbacks after a single season in the league. Joining '7PM in Brooklyn' with Carmelo Anthony, Russell Wilson raved about the Giants star and considered it a key reason why he signed with New York. 'I just turned on the film and watched this guy Malik Nabers,' Wilson said. 'This dude is a superstar. I saw him, watching the film before I tried to make a decision and trying to get a clear understanding of who the players are, this and that. Obviously, you see the highlights and everything else. But when you watch every single catch and every single rep and every play, you get to see the kind of player he is. He's dynamic. He touches that football, he's gone.' It didn't take long for Nabers to establish himself as an elite weapon. He logged two 100-yard games in the first four contests of his career. After suffering a concussion, he missed two games. Upon his return, he logged 118 more targets. Advertisement Ultimately, he finished with 170 targets, the second most in the NFL, despite his absence. Nabers turned that into 109 catches for 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns, all with bottom-barrel quarterbacking. Wilson isn't just an upgrade over Daniel Jones. He's an aggressive quarterback whose best throws come down the field, a hallmark of every offense he's been a part of. As a rookie, Nabers proved he was a No. 1 receiver with unlimited upside. In 2025, he'll have the trust and the talent around him to make good on that optimism. Related: NFC East Positional Rankings: Do Giants' Quarterbacks Matter? Related: NFC East Receiver Rankings: Giants Steady As Rivals Improve This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
21-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Ex-New York Giants captain Jonathan Casillas can see Malik Nabers in leadership role
Ex-New York Giants captain Jonathan Casillas can see Malik Nabers in leadership role New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers may only be 21 years old, but he's showing signs of putting his stamp on the team both on the field and in the locker room. As a rookie, Nabers led the team in receptions and injected life into a team that had been D.O.A. the season before. Off the field, Nabers was vocal regarding his usage, wanting the football more even though he was second in the NFL in targets in 2024. Former Giants linebacker and captain, Jonathan Casillas, recently told Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News that he believes Nabers is on his way to becoming a leader on this transitioning roster. 'He's young, and he might have said some things out of pocket last year as a young, diva-like receiver,' Casillas said on the Talkin' Ball with Pat Leonard podcast. 'But Malik Nabers, I think people value the things he says. I think [Brian] Daboll values the things he says. 'I want to highlight him because not just do I think he was a tremendous talent last year, I do think he was trying to step into that leadership role,' Casillas added. 'I think he sensed there was kind of a vacancy there, with the carousel at the quarterback position and QB play that hasn't really been there for a few years. I think he wanted to step up and be that guy.' Last year, Nabers was frustrated with both the team's losing ways and perhaps his game-costing drop in an early-season loss in Washington. He spoke out in the media, which is normally frowned upon when it comes to young players, especially rookies. 'They want me to speak up,' Nabers said of Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll. 'They feel like my energy helps the offense, in a way, to be explosive. So of course I'm going to speak up if something doesn't go my way. That's just how I am. I won't just sit back and let it go down just because I'm a young player. Clout don't mean nothing.' Nabers will surely be the Giants' go-to receiver again this year, no matter who the team plays at quarterback. Veteran Russell Wilson called Nabers a "freak of an athlete" and sees a solid future between them. "This guy, when he touches the ball, he may score every single time. He's been exciting," Wilson said in April. "Got to talk to him along the way. He's fired up and we've had a lot of good conversations so far." First-round pick Jaxson Dart is likely to get some snaps this year and beyond at quarterback. He is also looking forward to playing with Nabers, as are Giant fans.
USA Today
21-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
New York Giants' Malik Nabers among PFF's top 25 players under age of 25
New York Giants' Malik Nabers among PFF's top 25 players under age of 25 New York Giants star wide receiver Malik Nabers has been named to Pro Football Focus' list of the Top 25 players under 25 recently. The list, compiled by PFF's Jonathan Macri, ranks Nabers at No. 15. The 21-year-old, who was the sixth overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft out of LSU, set an NFL record for receptions by a rookie wide receiver in 2024 and was named to the Pro Bowl. Nabers is the closest rookie receiving threat to Brock Bowers coming out of 2024, and depending on which metric you want to favor, there's a reasonable argument he could be ahead of him on this list. In a stacked 2024 rookie wide receiver class, Nabers was the best of the bunch, leading the group in PFF receiving grade (87.1) and targets (165) — both top-10 marks for the position. Nabers was also the only rookie wide receiver to crack the top 10 in PFF WAR in 2024, ranking as the Giants' most valuable player in that regard by a significant margin. Nabers led a very productive 2024 Giants' draft class that also included safety Tyler Nubin, cornerback Dru Phillips, tight end Theo Johnson, running back Tyrone Tracy Jr., and linebacker Darius Muasau. Nabers had a sensational rookie year statistically, despite missing two games in October due to a concussion.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Giants Star Could Be Headed to the Olympics
On Thursday, the NFL's continued efforts to grow the game past the continental United States saw a very important update. A resolution had been proposed to send the league's phenoms to the 2028 Olympics, where flag football is set to make its Olympic debut. A five-on-five flag football game would give the NFL the ability to put its best athletes on the field for the world to see, collecting the type of talent only seen during the Pro Bowl, but with much higher stakes. Advertisement According to Tom Pelissero, scheduling conflicts shouldn't be a factor in the league getting its stars to the international stage. 'Assuming this resolution passes, scheduling conflicts with the 2028 Summer Olympics should be relatively minimal,' he wrote. 'The games are scheduled to be held in Los Angeles from July 14-30, putting the Gold Medal game the same week teams report to training camp.' If the resolution does pass and the NFL signs off on Olympic play, fans around the league will get to see the game's biggest stars in action. However, only one player per team would be eligible for the event, held in Los Angeles, along with a designated international player from each team. Not everyone will make the cut, though, as rosters will be limited to 12 players. There's still plenty of time before the 2028 Summer Olympics, and that means ample room for speculation about the roster to run rampant. One New York Giants star in particular could be headed to the Olympics. Advertisement Receiver Malik Nabers exploded onto the scene as a rookie, making good on his top-10 draft capital. He trailed only Cincinnati Bengals receiver Ja'Marr Chase in targets while posting 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns. Posting those numbers in Year 1 is impressive. Doing so with the conference's worst batch of quarterbacks is a sign of things to come. Nabers has the tools to be dominant, and his blend of nuance and athleticism makes him a safe bet to earn the 'elite' label throughout his rookie contract. Tackling Nabers is difficult enough, having posted 4.4 yards after the catch per reception in 2024. With the open-field opportunities flag football provides, he's easily in the conversation to make the cut. Perhaps the biggest boost for his chances of playing in Los Angeles is the time he has to build his resume. Nabers will be turning 25 years old just days before the gold medal game, allowing him to step into his prime (potentially with better quarterback play) to bolster his case. Advertisement There is so much uncertainty in projecting players forward, but Nabers' rookie showing has the New York faithful excited – for good reason. Related: Giants Schedule Release: Game-By-Game Predictions Related: NFC East Receiver Rankings: Giants Steady As Rivals Improve
