Chasing History: LSU WR Malik Nabers Inching Towards Milestone
LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers is in the midst of another historic season in the purple and gold. Now, as his junior campaign nears the finish line, Nabers could solidify his status as one of the best wideouts in LSU history.
Nabers ranks second all-time in receiving yards with 2,718 in his LSU career, and with two games to go, he could very well take home the crown.
Josh Reed, an LSU great, sits atop the rest with 3,001 career yards. For Nabers, he’ll need 284 yards over his next two games to break the record and rewrite the history books in Baton Rouge.
There have been several greats to lace up their cleats for the Tigers. From recents Ja’Marr Chase to Justin Jefferson, it’s clear LSU has had legends in Death Valley, but Nabers is looking to solidify his name in legendary status as well.
This season through 10 games, he’s up to 72 catches for 1,284 yards and 10 TD with a whopping 17.8 yards per catch.
“His skill level has always been there,” Kelly said of his star. “His ability to come out every single day, maintain his emotion, and focus on what’s important – being at his best during practice and not being distracted by anything. I thought, at times last season, he got distracted, quite frankly. He had some up and downs during his practice.
“This year so far, very little to no distractions have put him in a position where his practicing has consistently put him at a high, high level. If he stays at that level and eliminates distractions, he’s in line to do some really special things.”
Nabers feels he deserves to be talked about when listing the greatest Tigers to ever do it.
“We talk about (former LSU and current NFL receivers) Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson,” Nabers said. “But when we talk about them, I want my name to be added as well. With this season, I’ve been able to get another 1,000 yards, and I think I’m only the second back-to-back 1,000-yard receiver (Josh Reed was the first in 2000 and 2001) to ever do it at LSU.”
A piece of Nabers' success the last two seasons has been the connection he has with quarterback Jayden Daniels both on and off the field. The two have created a bond that has proven to be effective this season as they carve defenses on a routine basis.
“We might kick it a little bit,” Nabers said about Daniels. “Might go shopping, you know he spends a lot of money so, just things like that and knowing someone personally, it benefits a football relationship really well.
“We come (to the facility) at 5:30 in the morning, watch a little film. We throw the ball after practice, might hit some routes that we missed on in practice. In the spring and in the summer we always came way late at night, probably around 9:00, and would throw the ball around, just get the little small details right.”
Now, with two games left to become the all-time leader in receiving yards, Nabers has an opportunity to solidify his status as one of the best to ever do it.
