We are officially one week away from the start of LSU's 2024 football season, and we continue our LSU Football Countdown by honoring the seventh best LSU player of the 21st century: Malik Nabers.

Coming out of high school, Malik Nabers wasn't the highest rated recruit in the nation. He ranked as the 50th best receiver in the country, and the Lafayette native wasn't even on LSU's radar until very late in the process. After they extended the offer though, Nabers knew exactly where he was going to play his college ball.

As a true freshman, Nabers would see the field very early. His first snaps came in week three when the Tigers took on Central Michigan. He earned six total snaps and made his first catch for six yards. In week four, Nabers once again saw one target which he turned into a four-yard catch, but in week five, things took a turn.

From weeks five through eight, Nabers recorded at least two catches and 30 yards per game, and even had his first career touchdown catch against Kentucky. Nabers' best game as a freshman came against UL-Monroe in week 12 where he caught four passes for 143 yards and a touchdown.

Heading into 2022, Nabers was set to be the WR2 behind Kayshon Boutte, who many thought would be a first-round pick that year. However, Boutte had some issues on and off the field and would quickly be overtaken by Nabers.

Nabers started the 2022 season by catching five passes for 42 yards, but what people remember the most are his two muffs on punts which were turning points in that game. Ever since that moment, though, Nabers was unstoppable.

He would go on to lead LSU in receiving yards in 2022, totaling 72 catches for 1,014 yards and three scores. After that year everyone knew Nabers was going to be LSU's WR1 in 2023, but did anybody think he would have one of the best single seasons in LSU history? I don't think so.

Nabers' 2023 season started off pretty strong. He caught 11 passes for 154 yards and one score in the first two weeks, but it wasn't until LSU's first SEC game against Mississippi State that he really put his foot on the gas.

Jayden Daniels and Malik Nabers torched the Bulldogs secondary. They connected on all 13 balls throw his way for 239 yards and two touchdowns. It was one of the most prolific single-game efforts in LSU history. His 13 catches are tied for the fifth most and his 239 yards rank fourth in a single game in program history.

Nabers would break 100 yards receiving in eight of the next nine games (89 vs Auburn) and finished the season with 89 catches, 1,569 yards and 14 touchdowns. His 1,569 yards rank third in LSU history in a single season.

Despite posting the best stat line in the nation, Nabers was snubbed of the Biletnikoff Award because he wasn't the son of an NFL legend. He did, however, make the First-Team All-SEC list and was named a consensus All-American for his efforts. A few months later, Nabers was selected by the New York Giants with the sixth overall pick, just a few picks behind Marvin Harrison Jr.

Nabers finished his LSU career with 3,003 receiving yards, which was two yards more than Josh Reed's program record of 3,001, making Nabers the most prolific receiver in LSU history. Nabers and Reed had very similar career stat lines in their time at LSU, so I think you could possibly guess who's next to come on this list...

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