LSU Football: Key player grades through Week 4 of college football
By John Fye
![Brian Thomas Jr 11 and Malik Mabers 8 celebrate after a touchdown as the LSU Tigers take on Grambling State at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. Brian Thomas Jr 11 and Malik Mabers 8 celebrate after a touchdown as the LSU Tigers take on Grambling State at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/149931388ff5632e4b7ae4a63e6151d00d6dbcd6b2029033fdfc96f1d16bf06f.jpg)
Malik Nabers
Position: Wide Receiver
Class: Junior
Offense Grade: 92.2 (3rd of 981 WR)
Receiving Grade: 90.7 (3rd of 863 WR)
LSU Football fans do not need PFF metrics to know that Malik Nabers is one of the best wide receivers in college football through four weeks.
The junior is now Jayden Daniels’ favorite target after showing the consistent big play ability that the Tigers haven’t enjoyed since Kayshon Boutte’s best season in Baton Rouge. Conversely, historical PFF grades indicate Nabers is not much of a surprise.
The metrics giant graded Nabers at 70.1 (6th of 1011) in 2021 and 77.6 (7th of 1048) in 2022.
We also find it interesting that 143 of Nabers’ 233 (61%) snaps are wide versus 80 (35%) snaps from the slot. Such shows Nabers is beating defenders off the line to make most of his plays instead of being schemed open.