Is Nabers The Deep Threat OBJ Was?

[Philosophers]

My fear with Nabers is his productivity is more from catching 4 yard passes and getting YAC than catching 20 yard + deeper routes.  Anyone have any stats on the distribution of how far downfield he caught most of his passes?

Also how many catches did he make from X versus Z versus slot WR posituons?

[Gmo11]

Nabers does seem to be more similar to the Giants current crop of WRs than Rome does.  It's why I slightly prefer Rome for the Giants because they are missing that big fast X receiver on the outside. Having said that, Nabers with the football in his hand is absolutely electric.  In that regard he does remind me of OBJ a bit.  Every time he touches the football he could score.  So if the Giants decide to take him over Rome I'm not going to lose too much sleep over it.

[MightyGiants]

With 4.35 speed Nabers should have no problem being a deep threat.   From what I have seen, I think the lack of arm strength by Daniels limited Naber's deep production.

[Philosophers]

With 4.35 speed Nabers should have no problem being a deep threat.   From what I have seen, I think the lack of arm strength by Daniels limited Naber's deep production.

Rich - as you know catching a deep pass is much more different than catching a 4 yarder.  Bodies need to contort more, the timing of when the eyes look up to receive the ball is important, watching the ball come in, etc is what makes a great deep ball catcher.  That's what I want to know about Nabers.  I want to see stats that support this view he can do it.

Rich -

[MightyGiants]

Rich - as you know catching a deep pass is much more different than catching a 4 yarder.  Bodies need to contort more, the timing of when the eyes look up to receive the ball is important, watching the ball come in, etc is what makes a great deep ball catcher.  That's what I want to know about Nabers.  I want to see stats that support this view he can do it.

Rich -

Your QB needs to be able to reach you as well.  When I scouted Nabers I noticed Nabers constantly had to throttle back on his deep passes (costing yards and TDs) because Daniels was always underthrowing him.

[Philosophers]

Your QB needs to be able to reach you as well.  When I scouted Nabers I noticed Nabers constantly had to throttle back on his deep passes (costing yards and TDs) because Daniels was always underthrowing him.

Interesting observation.  Wonder if Daniels was waiting too long to throw it or just mis-times the speed Nabers was running.

Anyway I still would love to find data on Nabers deep ball catches and from what WR position.  We don't need another 4 yard pass catcher.

[madbadger]

My fear with Nabers is his oroductivity is more from catching 4 yard oasses and getting YAC than catching 20 yard + deeper routes.  Anyone have any stats on the distribution of how far downfield he caught most of his passes?

Also how many catches did he make from X versus Z versus slot WR posituons?

Do we need him to be or is Hyatt and Slayton enough? IMHO at 4.35 and with his track record at LSU points to yes but I think we'd be just fine if he isn't. CeeDee Lamb isn't a big downfield threat but I'd take his production in a heartbeat.

[Philosophers]

Do we need him to be or is Hyatt and Slayton enough? IMHO at 4.35 and with his track record at LSU points to yes but I think we'd be just fine if he isn't. CeeDee Lamb isn't a big downfield threat but I'd take his production in a heartbeat.

Then wouldn't Nabers be redundant with Robinson?

[madbadger]

Then wouldn't Nabers be redundant with Robinson?

Nabers is an X receiver and Robinson a slot. IMHO they're perfectly complimentary and one of the reasons why I hope the Giants draft him if they can't find a quarterback worth the 6th pick.

[Bob In PA]

Nabers is an X receiver and Robinson a slot. IMHO they're perfectly complimentary and one of the reasons why I hope the Giants draft him if they can't find a quarterback worth the 6th pick.

madb: You may be correct that Nabers will be able to be an X in the NFL, but I'm uncertain about that. And from what I've read, I'm not alone.  That doesn't mean you're wrong, but (importantly, IMO) it means you don't take a guy that high in the draft who has that type of question-mark. The first example that occurs to me is drafting a guy who excelled in college as a left tackle and putting him at right tackle (Evan Neal?). Bob

[madbadger]

madb: You may be correct that Nabers will be able to be an X in the NFL, but I'm uncertain about that. And from what I've read, I'm not alone.  That doesn't mean you're wrong, but (importantly, IMO) it means you don't take a guy that high in the draft who has that type of question-mark. The first example that occurs to me is drafting a guy who excelled in college as a left tackle and putting him at right tackle (Evan Neal?). Bob

It would be helpful to know who is saying they doubt he can play the X in the NFL and why. Everyone has an opinion, myself included, but when it comes to draft prospects 99% of them are either uninformed or ill informed. Those concerns could be well founded but he played the X at LSU and played it quite well in the conference with the most athletic corners.

[Bob In PA]

It would be helpful to know who is saying they doubt he can play the X in the NFL and why. Everyone has an opinion, myself included, but when it comes to draft prospects 99% of them are either uninformed or ill informed. Those concerns could be well founded but he played the X at LSU and played it quite well in the conference with the most athletic corners.

madb: I was not referring to any of us.  It was a few (variously) so-called draft "experts" whose evaluations I read as well as a few guys in videos Rich (Mighty) posted here over the past few months. Bob

[Philosophers]

Nabers is an X receiver and Robinson a slot. IMHO they're perfectly complimentary and one of the reasons why I hope the Giants draft him if they can't find a quarterback worth the 6th pick.

He played slot I think 50% of the time so that is redundant with Robinson.  As I have said and asked for, what is his production on intermediate/deep balls and what is his production from the X position?  Everyone says he is an X but he did not play X as much as everyone thinks.  Also maybe more of his production was from the slot.  I don't know but so far nobody has the data I am asking for.

How much of his production last year came from each of the slot, Z and X positions?

 

[MightyGiants]

Watch this video where Nick Falato and Dan break down Nabers, and you will have zero concerns:

[UKGiantsFan]

A better question may be whether Nabers will implode the way OBJ did.

He already has an entourage, got caught with a gun he didn't have a permit for, shows his frustration on the field and spouted off on social media when he didn't get as many targets as he liked despite having a Heisman winning QB throwing the ball.

No doubt, he's young and could mature but there's also the chance that fame goes to his head and he turns into a distraction the same way OBJ did.

I have zero such doubts about Odunze (or MHJ for that matter) and considering all three are ridiculously talented that would be a factor in my evaluation if I were making the final decision.