Marvin Harrison Jr. vs Malik Nabers - statistical comparison (December 2023)
The Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and the LSU Tigers wide receiver Malik Nabers are declared the finalists for the Biletnikoff Award. This honor is given every year to the top pass-catcher in college football. Alongside Harrison and Nabers, Washington Huskies WR Rome Odunze is the third finalist.
While Nabers is quite the favorite for many, Harrison is not far behind. So before anyone decides who will win, let's compare the two players statistically and how they have stacked up the stats.
Marvin Harrison Jr. vs. Malik Nabers stats
Receptions
Nabers have shown complete dominance when it comes to total receptions this year. He has 86 receptions to his name, which automatically shows his efficiency on the field.
On the other hand, Harrison has 67 receptions this season. This is where he is, way behind Nabers. However, Harrison played 11 regular-season games compared to Nabers' 12.
Yards
Nabers had no competition this year in the entire country regarding receiving yards. Nabers has amassed 1,546 yards in 12 games at an astounding average of 128.5 yards per game.
The Buckeyes' star receiver falls short in this category as well. The 21-year-old has 1,211 receiving yards in 11 games at an average of 100.9 yards per game.
Yards/Reception
Interestingly, Harrison Jr. has a marginal lead over Nabers in yards per reception at 18.1 compared to 18.0.
Yards after catch
Nobody seems to catch up to the LSU star after he gets hold of the ball. Nabers has 580 yards after catch and is averaging 6.7 yards per game, whereas Harrison Jr. is behind at 427, although his yards per game are better at 6.4.
Touchdowns
Surprisingly, Nabers has 14 touchdowns despite running the most this season, but Harrison Jr. also has 14 while running less.
Targets
Again, it is no surprise that the person who ran the most is leading the targets category as well, at 124 overall. Marvin Harrison Jr. is 10 targets behind the leader, with 114.
Drops
Harrison Jr. and Nabers are both guilty and tied for six drops each.
Record for 1st down
Malik Nabers once again led the charts with 69 first downs. Meanwhile, Harrison Jr. is behind on the list with 51 first downs.
Contested Catches
This is the category where Marvin holds a better grip than Malik. He was involved in 13 contested catches, whereas Nabers was involved in only 10.
However, the LSU receiver has a better-contested catch completion at 47.60%, and the Buckeyes receiver stays at 43.3%.
Missed tackles forced
This season, Nabers has caused 30 missed tackles. This indicates how many times he avoided the opponent's contact. With only five missed tackles forced, Marvin Harrison Jr. lags.
Completion %
This is one of the most important categories of the receiver's efficiency. Nabers leads the way with a 69.40% completion rate, while Marvin Harrison Jr. has a completion rate of 58.77%.
PFF WR Off Rating
Pro Football Focus, or the PFF, has given Malik Nabers a rating of 93.0 while positioning Marvin Harrison Jr. slightly below, at 89.9.
These ratings might come in handy when analyzing all the categories of a player.
25+ Yard Reception
Nabers have a big advantage over Harrison Jr. in the 25+ yard reception category. The LSU athlete has achieved the landmark 23 times, whereas the Buckeyes boy has done it only 13 times.
No matter who wins the Biletnikoff Award, both players have shown incredible performance and numbers this year. Moreover, Marvin Harrsion Jr. is also a finalist for the Heisman Award.
While the Heisman Trophy will be awarded on Saturday (December 9), the Biletnikoff Award winner will be announced on Friday (December 8).