There seemed to be a consensus that Marvin Harrison Jr. is the best wide receiver in the 2024 NFL Draft, but recently, there has been growing support for Malik Nabers as the top prospect at the position. Count one former LSU player and now ESPN analyst as one of those people that prefers Nabers over Harrison.
Booger McFarland Likes Malik Nabers Over Marvin Harrison Jr.
On the latest episode of ESPN’s Get Up, former NFL player Booger McFarland was asked about the top wide receivers in the upcoming draft, and he was quick to point out that in his mind, Harrison is not the clear-cut No. 1 guy of the group.
.@ESPNBooger believes Malik Nabers is the best WR in the NFL draft.
Agree? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/gpc2BPTyvy
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) April 17, 2024
“You know Greeny (ESPN anchor Mike Greenberg), I like Ferrari’s not Maserati’s,” McFarland started. “They call him Maserati Marv. I like Ferraris down in LSU; that’s called Malik Nabers. Explosive, lightning in a bottle, there’s nothing he can’t do. Inside, outside, give him the football Greeny, and he’s like a running back…”
“There’s nothing he can’t do that Marvin Harrison Jr. can. Except in my opinion, you watch the tape, he’s more explosive and he’s faster. I’ll take the faster guy.”
McFarland also echoed this in a recent appearance with ESPN’s Mina Kimes on her podcast. The full video of that appearance can be watched in this YouTube video.
“We’ve all labeled Marvin Harrison Jr. this generational prospect. He might not even be the first receiver taken,” McFarland said.
As the draft process has gone on, there seems to be more Nabers fans coming out of the word work than originally thought. Taking into account that McFarland is also an LSU Tiger from back in his playing days, bias aside, he’s not alone in what he’s saying.
Nabers Versus Harrison as the Draft’s Best Wide Receiver
It’s a debate that has dominated the pre-draft cycle in recent weeks and one that will continue into their NFL careers, as Harrison and Nabers will be compared to each other for a very long time. But who is truly the better prospect?
While the answer is subjective, using Pro Football Network’s Ian Cummings’ scouting reports on both players may be able to provide some further information to help build their cases.
According to Cummings, Harrison has a remarkable ceiling to look forward to, stating, “Right out of the gate in the NFL, Harrison projects as a high-impact, attention-drawing X receiver, who also has the versatility to play the movement Z spot. And he has the combined physical talent and near-flawless intangibles to support an All-Pro ceiling.”
As for Nabers, Cummings may not be as high on him as he is for Harrison, but he still sees a bright future for the young WR.
“Nabers can be a dynamic offensive weapon on Day 1 of his NFL career, and in time, he has a perennial impact starter upside, with the three-level ability to be a focal point.”
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How both of their careers pan out remains to be seen. Nevertheless, Harrison and Nabers are two exciting prospects who have only just begun to be compared to one another — in an exercise that will surely go on for decades.
