Malik Nabers. SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK

Report reveals several scouts and coaches' choice for top WR in NFL Draft

By Clark Dalton | Last updated 4/23/24

Is it hoopla, or has LSU's Malik Nabers surpassed Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr. as the top wide receiver in the 2024 NFL Draft?

In his 2024 draft confidential, The Athletic's Bruce Feldman revealed that several scouts and coaches told him Nabers is a better prospect than Harrison.

"It's Nabers and then there's a gap," one assistant coach told Feldman. "He is the best wide receiver in the draft in a couple of years, maybe more. He is [Miami Dolphins WR] Tyreek Hill combined with both of those San Francisco guys [Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk]."

Nabers showcased blazing speed at his pro day, running a 4.35 40-yard dash. Harrison, meanwhile, didn't participate in the combine or his pro day, raising doubts about his ability to turn on the jets.

Malik Nabers 40 clocks in at 4.35u @lsufootball | @whyguard13 pic.twitter.com/ayA7uZOcYj
— NFL (@NFL) March 27, 2024

"Marvin is great too," a wide receiver coach told Feldman. "You just question how fast he is. He can take the top off and he's got elite ball skills and elite tracking. I don't see 23 mph — that's really, really fast. He's, to me, more of a glider, build-up speed type of guy. Which you would expect, because he is huge."

Harrison — the 2023 Biletnikoff Award winner, given to the best wideout in college football — is still considered an elite prospect.

While he may not have high-end speed, Harrison's size (6-foot-3, 209 pounds) helps him make challenging catches against tight coverage. According to Pro Football Focus, he had 13 contested catches in 12 games in 2023, while Nabers (6-foot, 200 pounds) tallied 10 contested catches in 13 games.

MASERATI MARV

Marvin Harrison Jr. with a GRAB for @OhioStateFB pic.twitter.com/oiGHd4bQnx
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 25, 2023

Though Nabers' stock is soaring, don't be shocked if Harrison is the first WR selected in the draft on Thursday. Per Tankathon's projections, the Arizona Cardinals will take the Ohio State star with the fourth overall pick, and the Chargers will use the fifth pick on Nabers.

Ultimately, neither is a bad option, and both could excel at the next level.

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