LSU receiver Malik Nabers, who led all FBS players in 2023 with 1,569 receiving yards, announced on social media Saturday that he is entering the NFL draft.
The 6-foot, 200-pound Nabers had 14 touchdown catches this season, tying him for third nationally, as Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels’ top target. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. ranks Nabers as the No. 6 overall prospect and the No. 3 receiver in the 2024 NFL draft.
Nabers has great speed, evidenced by his 17 catches of 30 yards or longer, which led all FBS players. He was one of only three FBS receivers this season to catch 80 or more passes and average more than 17 yards per catch. The other two were Washington’s Rome Odunze and Oregon’s Troy Franklin.
One of the more productive receivers in college football over the past two seasons, Nabers was among the three finalists for this season’s Biletnikoff Award, which went to Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr., as the top receiver in the nation.
Nabers leaves LSU as the school’s all-time leader in receiving yards (3,003). He’s only the second LSU player with multiple 1,000-yard receiving seasons. He totaled 1,017 yards as a sophomore in 2022, when he also led the SEC with 72 receptions.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Kanon Woodill hit a 35-yard field goal with 31 seconds to play, Cade Haberman blocked a 62-yard try as time expired and Northern Illinois stunned No. 5 Notre Dame 16-14 on Saturday.
Haberman blocked the 62-yard attempt by Notre Dame’s Mitch Jeter, allowing the jubilant Huskies to claim their first nonconference victory against a ranked opponent since a 19-16 upset of No. 21 Alabama in 2003.
It was also the Huskies’ first victory over a top-10 opponent and the first by a Mid-American Conference team against an AP top-five team; the MAC was previously 0-51 against such opponents.
Northern Illinois head coach Thomas Hammock was emotional after the dramatic victory.
“We didn’t need luck,” Hammock said. “That was our theme. I didn’t think we needed luck. We just need to play our best.
It wasn’t the cleanest for us, but we played hard for four quarters and stayed together. They worked together, they believed, and they made enough plays to win a game.
“This is a program-changing type win, no different than when we beat Alabama a while ago [in 2003].”
Hammond said his Huskies measured up to Notre Dame.
“I think we were bigger than what they thought,” Hammock said. “We’re not a normal MAC team, in my opinion. We’re big on the offensive and defensive lines and we’re physical. I didn’t look at it as a mi
smatch in that capacity.”
