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Same alma matter. Same round in the NFL Draft. Same uniform.
When former New York Giants offensive lineman Justin Pugh looks at what Malik Nabers has done over three weeks, he cannot help but compare him to an ex-teammate of Big Blue: Odell Beckham Jr.
"It’s exactly the same for me," Pugh told Fox News Digital. "You look at Odell’s rookie year and how he caught the league on fire. We literally threw him slants, and he won us games. The Giants can do that this year with Malik Nabers."
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New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers, #1, celebrates after catching a touchdown during the first half against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field. (Ken Blaze-Imagn Images)
When the Giants took Nabers with the sixth overall pick in this year's Draft, the hope was that he would quickly develop into the number one receiver the team has been searching for since Beckham was traded to the Cleveland Browns before the 2019 season.
After just three games, where Nabers has 23 receptions for 271 yards with three touchdowns, Pugh believes yet another LSU receiver has cemented himself as a No. 1 receiving option for an NFL team.
"LSU, whatever’s in the water, we need to bottle it and just call it ‘Receiver Water’ and every player should drink it," he said, laughing. "He’s a certified No. 1 [receiver]. It changes the dynamics of an offense. If you don’t have a No. 1 receiver – look at the Philadephia Eagles. Down A.J. Brown the last couple weeks, and they’ve scraped by in getting some wins.
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"[Nabers] can go out there and big-body somebody, go over the top. When Malik Nabers made that 50/50 grab, instantly I went to the Odell catch. This is his coming-out party."
Nabers was critical in the GIants taking down the Cleveland Browns in Week 3 to secure their first win of the season, as he hauled in eight of his 12 targets from Daniel Jones with two touchdowns, including a highlight-reel leap-and-grab with the toe tap finish in the back left of the end zone.
Nabers has been compared to other receivers from the Tigers' program, like Cincinnati Bengals star Ja'Marr Chase and Minnesota Vikings do-it-all wideout Justin Jefferson.
However, Beckham is the only one who knows the pressure New York City can put on any professional athlete. At times, the larger-than-life star that Beckham became after bursting out for 1,305 yards in just 13 games during his rookie season was not pretty.
The kicking net incident, ESPN interview with Lil' Wayne and more are remembered just as much as his famous one-handed catch against the Dallas Cowboys.
"Now comes the hard part: You’re in New York City, you’re a star. How do you deal with it?" Pugh questioned. "That will make or break his career, because you look at Odell, it almost got to the point where Odell got so big that [former Giants GM] Dave Gettleman didn’t want him there. I wish Odell finished his career with the Giants because he was on this historic pace, they shipped him out of town and they never replaced him. They tried to and they missed.
"Hopefully this all works out for Malik, and I think it will."
New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers, #1, celebrates his touchdown with teammates against the Cleveland Browns during the second quarter at Huntington Bank Field. (Scott Galvin-Imagn Images)
Pugh is not sure Nabers' stardom will be as great as Beckham's, just because he looks at his old teammate as being in the "perfect storm" with the blonde, curly hairdo and exuberant personality to go with the superstar skill set he possessed. In fact, Pugh said Nabers should connect with Beckham if he does reach that level, because he will have no advice for that.
However, he did offer a lengthy statement about what he would do if he was in his shoes.
"What I would say for Malik is don’t get too high, don’t get too low," Pugh began. "So, as much as this stinks, you probably need to stay in more than you would want. Stay in the house a little bit more, let’s get through the season and then enjoy yourself in the offseason. That’s when I’m going to tell you to cut it loose, go do whatever you want to do. Go live it up, go to the Met Gala or whatever event is going on in New York City. But I urge you to lock in when it’s time to lock in for gametime, and that’s something that is going to be hard to do. You earned a bunch of money, he’s the most famous guy probably in New York right now for all the right reasons. Aaron Judge, obviously, and there’s guys in other sports and other teams, but I think he’s going to be the name we talk about all season long.
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"It’s a slippery slope. I’m an offensive lineman, and I can tell you it’s a slippery slope because you want to go out, you want to go to all these events. Everybody is telling you how great you are, and it can go negative quickly and he’s going to have to go through those downs. Take your lumps, learn from them, and then just continue to be a pro."
Pugh joked that he would let Nabers stay out until midnight, though he prefers 10 p.m.; however, the reality is the rookie has quickly become the focal point of Giants success, as he clearly looks like someone worth the No. 6 pick.
While Pugh continues to watch Nabers and the Giants, he is still looking for his next opportunity in the league, as he is not retired and is staying in game shape in case a team comes calling.
That team could be the Giants after that happened in 2023, when the decimated line needed Pugh to get in the building and end up playing multiple line positions, including left tackle for the injured Andrew Thomas.
New York Giants guard Justin Pugh, #67, on the field before the game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. (Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports)
In the meantime, though, Pugh has been in the sports content space, as he's attending every "Thursday Night Football" game, spending 24 hours as a diehard fan of each team hosting, which has already included the Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins and New York Jets.
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Pugh will be back at MetLife Stadium on Thursday, where he will watch Nabers in his first primetime game as the Giants take on the Cowboys.
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