Three games into his NFL career and New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers is already etching his name into the record books.
He is the first player in NFL history to record at least 250 yards on 20 receptions with three touchdowns through his first three career games, hitting those benchmarks behind an eight-reception, 78-yard, and two-touchdown Week 3 during the Giants’ 21-15 victory over the Cleveland Browns.
“I think he’s confident in his skill set,” Giants head coach Brian Daboll said. “I’m confident in his skill set. We spent a lot of time with him leading up to the draft and then you really get to know him throughout OTAs and mini camps and training camp, which he excelled in those areas. I have a lot of confidence in him. So, I think we target him a fair amount, but I think he’s earned that. He’s earned the right to have those opportunities… His mindset, he’s a competitive young man. He’s just a football player. So, glad we got him.”
The 21-year-old LSU product is exactly what quarterback Daniel Jones needed — a bona fide No. 1 receiver that is capable of making big plays to facilitate a passing offense that had grown abundantly stale in recent years.
Thursday night against the Dallas Cowboys, however, provides his toughest test yet for Nabers with two-time Pro-Bowl cornerback Trevon Diggs expected to shadow him.
“We certainly have a good one this week that I think he will be matched up quite a bit with Diggs, so you definitely have to be aware,” Daboll said. “But when you have confidence in your skill player offensively, you go ahead and give them opportunities. So, it just means you have to be that much cleaner, crisper on things when you’re going against a very good player.
“There’s a lot of teams that do that with their guys, I would say. I don’t want to speak for them in their game plan meetings. But like I said before many times, I’m glad we have him.”
As for Nabers, playing under the bright lights of primetime against one of the Giants’ biggest rivals does not appear to be phasing him at all.
“It’s a regular game,” the rookie said. “It’s football. A game is a game. Every time I go out there, a game is a game. No matter what day it is, a game is a game.”
