Malik Nabers is absolutely buzzing about teaming up with Odell Beckham Jr. on the New York Giants this season, calling the whole situation “surreal.” Imagine getting to play alongside the person who made you fall in love with football, man. That’s exactly what’s happening for Nabers.
The OG Inspiration is Back
“He kind of was the base person that literally made me start watching football,” Nabers told ESPN’s Jordan Raanan. He’s talking about the insane “dances, the one-handers” that captivated him from the jump. Beckham was the “main person” Nabers watched when he first started playing football himself. So, yeah, for the veteran to be in the same locker room right now, it’s gotta feel wild. Nabers said he sometimes has to “take a moment,” but having Beckham there is “actually amazing.” It makes total sense, too, when you look at their shared story. Both guys played for LSU, both were first-round picks for the Giants, and both absolutely exploded as rookies in the NFL. Now they’re teammates? You can’t script that stuff!
Veteran Juice and a Wow Factor
This isn’t just a feel-good story, though. Nabers is clearly the main man in New York’s passing game, while Beckham is stepping into more of a veteran, complementary role. Let’s be real, the guy didn’t play at all last season and has only been in 23 games since 2022. Nobody’s expecting the Pro Bowl levels he used to hit. But don’t sleep on that experience and pure talent. Darius Slayton put it perfectly to Raanan, comparing Beckham to Steph Curry. He’s got that “shock and awe,” a “wow factor.” Slayton summed it up: Beckham “still has juice, too. I think he’s shown that. He can still play for sure.” The Giants are clearly pumped to have that kind of presence back in the building.
So, what does this all mean for the Giants? They’ve got a rising star in Nabers getting mentorship from one of his idols, and that idol still brings a ton of experience and a “wow factor” to the field. This pairing has the potential to spark some serious excitement as the regular season gets underway.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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