Chris Simms claims top WR in 2024 NFL Draft is combination of Ja'Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson
Chris Simms thinks that Malik Nabers is the best wide receiver in the 2024 NFL Draft, calling him a mix of Ja'Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson. The commentator set off a firestorm after demoting Marvin Harrison Jr. from the top position as the best wideout rookie coming into the league this year.
Explaining his reasoning, he said:
"He can catch a slant and go 70. And he's got the best quickness and route running ability in the draft. He's a phenomenal football player. He's almost in a lot of ways a lot like a little combination of Ja'Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson together."
Chris Simms further added that he sees in Malik Nabers the explosiveness of Ja'Marr Chase, or something close to it. He also has a craftiness that can make him a devastating route runner like Justin Jefferson. The analyst added,
"Maybe not quite as explosive as Ja'Marr Chase, but it's not far off. Right. And then there's the Justin Jefferson crafty explosive knows how to run, you know, routes and set people up that way. And that's where Malik Nabers is special."
Chris Simms seems swayed by the LSU connection between Malik Nabers, Justin Jefferson and Ja'Marr Chase
Chris Simms' invocation of Justin Jefferson and Ja'Marr Chased did not seem accidental. All of them played for LSU and the two first-rounders have done exceptionally well in the NFL.
The two of them also got to play with Joe Burrow in college, who has since established himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the league at the moment.
But the school record for the most receiving yards, at 3,003, belongs to Malik Nabers. If the rookie prospect can eclipse his NFL counterparts in college statistics, having had a comparatively weaker quarterback throwing to him, then Chris Simms' assertion that he will be great makes sense.
What will come to pass in the 2024 NFL Draft remains to be seen. Someone like Marvin Harrison Jr. being the first player picked in that position is not out of the realm of possibility.
But even if he does not get picked as the first wide receiver off the board, like Chase was in the 2021 NFL Draft, he should not be disheartened. Jefferson was the fifth pick among wideouts in his 2020 class behind the likes of Henry Ruggs, Jerry Jeudy, CeeDee Lamb and Jalen Reagor.
Irrespective of which team he finally goes to, as long as he gets a top quarterback to play with and a supportive coach, Malik Nabers should consider himself fortunate.