The New York Giants entered the 2024 NFL Draft with six picks over the three-day event.
All offseason, the Giants have operated like a team intent on drafting a quarterback. But when the time came, they didn’t pull the trigger. Instead, they drafted a playmaker unlike one they’ve had in a long, long time. With the No. 6 pick, the Giants bypassed Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy, Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. and Oregon’s Bo Nix — each eventually selected in the first round — and drafted explosive LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers.
Nabers just wrapped up one of the most productive seasons in college football history, leading the nation with 120.7 yards per game and was tops in the FBS with 34 plays of 20-plus yards and 17 going for 30-plus. He will provide a massive upgrade to the Giants’ wide receiver room and, of course, will be the new primary target for QB Daniel Jones.
Speaking of Jones, his future hung in the balance entering the evening, but now it seems like he’ll get another season to prove he can still be the franchise QB.
After the Giants addressed the wide receiver position in Round 1, look for GM Joe Schoen to address the team’s needs at cornerback, safety, offensive and defensive line depth, running back and potentially tight end — if Darren Waller elects to retire.
Keep coming back here throughout the draft for analysis and grades for each Giants pick.
NFL Draft 2024 tracker: Live blog, pick-by-pick grades and analysis
Big board best available: Who’s left from Dane Brugler’s Top 300?
Draft pick grades: Nick Baumgardner, Scott Dochterman rate Rounds 2-3
Full draft order: Team picks for all 257 selections
“The Athletic Football Show”: Watch live reaction to the draft
Round 1
No. 6: Malik Nabers, WR, LSU
How he fits
Nabers is an electric playmaker and arguably the most dangerous ball carrier in space in this class. An incredibly smooth and explosive athlete with great ball skills, Nabers was an instant contributor in the SEC for LSU and made 161 catches with Jayden Daniels the last two seasons as a complete receiver. There were some scouts who had Nabers ranked ahead of Marvin Harrison Jr. in this class. He’s that good.
The Giants have questions about Daniel Jones, to be sure. But, to me, drafting a quarterback here made no sense. The Giants still have so much work to do – bringing a first-round QB in to “compete” with a guy you don’t support makes no sense. Nabers is an awesome talent and will instantly make one of the slowest offenses faster. A sensible, efficient and explosive draft pick. Also, possibly, a mess avoided. — Nick Baumgardner
Grade: A
RD 1 | PK 6 – Giants: Malik Nabers WR, LSU
With the sixth overall pick, the @Giants select the wide receiver with the highest overall score (92) and production score (96) in the 2024 class.#NFLDraft | #NYGiants pic.twitter.com/ld43g70L7t
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) April 26, 2024
Dane Brugler’s analysis:
An explosive play creator (led the FBS with 34 catches of 20-plus yards in 2023), Nabers uses his gliding speed to consistently win on slot fades or one-on-one vertical routes. His favorite play in the playbook is the jet sweep (his 7-on-7 highlights from high school are legendary). He also can win underneath as a snatch-and-run target and will continue to ascend as he develops his finishing skills and route discipline. Overall, Nabers has only average size/strength, but he offers dynamic potential because of his ability to accelerate/decelerate on command and always make himself available with his athletic catch-point skills. He projects as a playmaking receiver in the NFL.
Round 2
No. 47 (from SEA): Tyler Nubin, S, Minnesota
How he fits
Maybe the most underrated player in the draft, Nubin was both a solid coverage safety and a tremendous tackler at Minnesota. He will step in immediately for Xavier McKinney and thrive. With 43 starts at Minnesota, Nubin was experienced and highly respected. He finished his career with a school-record 13 interceptions and 24 passes defended, as well as 207 tackles. He’s a Day 1 starter. — Scott Dochterman
Grade: A
“Just a really special kid that’s a good football player.”
Joe Schoen on Tyler Nubin: pic.twitter.com/tQ443DsoIl
— Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) April 27, 2024
Dane Brugler’s analysis
A four-year starter at Minnesota, Nubin was an interchangeable safety (single high and split zone) in defensive coordinator Joe Rossi’s mixed-coverage scheme. A cornerback-turned-safety, he led the Gophers in interceptions in each of the last four seasons and collected his 13th career interception in his final home game, which set a new school record.
Using his athleticism and awareness, Nubin keeps everything in front of him and can drive off the numbers in the deep half to overlap the seam or track and finish from the post. As an alley defender, he is fearless but controlled, and he comes to balance with low pads to finish tackles with authority.
Overall, Nubin has conservative tendencies in coverage, but he is a four-down player with a coveted skill set, because of his split-field range, playmaking instincts and toughness versus the run. He is ideally suited for a quarters-based, Cover-2 scheme in the NFL and will be a core special teamer.
Round 3
No. 70: Andru Phillips, CB, Kentucky
How he fits
One of the most versatile corners in the draft, Phillips can play inside or outside — and even safety, if need be. A very physical, hyper-competitive player who will find a way to get on the field immediately, Phillips boasts a 42-inch vertical leap and plays with terrific speed. He’s also a very mature youngster from a high-achieving family. An easy favorite among the Day 2 cornerbacks.
Grade: A
The current NFL WR that @UKFootball‘s @AndruPhillips can’t wait to face pic.twitter.com/JYGiuGNvBI
— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) March 28, 2024
Dane Brugler’s analysis
A two-year starter at Kentucky, Phillips was an outside cornerback in defensive coordinator Brad White’s zone-heavy scheme, moving inside to cover the slot in subpackages (37.6 percent of his career snaps came inside). Although his production won’t jump off the page, his coverage tape improved each of his four seasons in Lexington — and that continued with a strong week during Senior Bowl practices.
With his lower-body quickness and agility, Phillips can drive from zone or stay within arm’s length downfield in man. He prefers to play a physical brand of football, which is refreshing. However, his handsy tactics needs more subtlety, and his tackling requires better finishing control.
Overall, Phillips falls short in a few categories, which leads to in-game volatility. He is battled-tested, though, with the athletic instincts and feisty toughness that will translate to any level of football. He won’t be a fit for every team but offers inside-outside versatility with immediate special-teams value, similar to Roger McCreary.
Round 4
No. 107
Round 5
No. 166 (from 49ers through Panthers)
Round 6
No. 183
Round 7
No picks
(Photo of Nubin: David Berding / Getty Images)
