Dexter Lawrence, Malik Nabers selected
There wasn’t a lot for the New York Giants to feel good about during a 3-14 2024 season. The play of veteran defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence and rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers, though, were bright spots.
Both players have garnered spots on the Pro Football Focus Top 101 players of 2024 list. Lawrence is No. 53 and Nabers is No. 59.
Of Lawrence, PFF wrote:
Lawrence continues to play like one of the best defensive tackles in football, earning a top-three grade at the position for the third straight season. In fact, he was the only interior defender in the league with 80-plus grades both as a pass-rusher and run defender in 2024. Lawrence’s nine sacks on the season were the third most among defensive tackles as well.
Lawrence played just 12 games due to an elbow injury that landed him on injured reserve. Despite that, the respect for him around the league is apparent.
Of Nabers, PFF wrote:
Nabers was the best receiver in college football last year at LSU, and he was the NFL’s best rookie receiver this season.
His 1,204 receiving yards ranked seventh among all receivers in the league in 2024 while his 86.7 PFF grade was eighth. Nabers was especially dangerous after the catch, placing third in receiving yards after contact (256) and fifth in forced missed tackles (19). The Giants drafted an LSU receiver in the first round 10 years ago in Odell Beckham Jr., and it looks like they struck gold again with the same exact method.
Just imagine what Nabers could do if the Giants get a quality quarterback and Nabers learns to properly run his pass routes.
