Malik Neighbors has been with the Giants for less than three months, but he’s already made an impression on his veteran teammates.
Currently appearing “All Facts No Brakes” podcast Along with Keyshawn Johnson, new teammate Darius Slayton said Neighbors is reminiscent of recent Louisiana State University stars turned NFL talents.
“He reminds me of Ja’Marr Chase, in my opinion,” Slayton said. “He’s like a clone. They’re about the same size. Dimensionally, they’re almost the same. His body movements are kind of weird when you see him moving around in real life.”
There seems to be merit to Slayton’s analysis, and not just based on the fact that Neighbors and Chase both come from the same receiver factory in Baton Rouge.
When Chase attended the 2022 NFL Combine, he was listed as 6 feet 3/8 inches tall, while Neighbors was also 6 feet tall.
Their weights were also essentially the same, 201 and 200 pounds respectively.
Both Neighbors and Chase dominated Lucas Oil, recording times of over 4.35 seconds in the 40-yard dash and vertical jumps of over 41 inches.
Meanwhile, the 27-year-old Slayton will be in his fifth season with the Giants in 2023, playing in all 17 games and setting career highs in receiving yards (770) and catches (50).
But the Giants had few consistent players who could get open on a regular basis.
The combination of Slayton, Wan’Dale Robinson, Jalyn Hyatt, Parris Campbell and Sterling Shepard finished with Pro Football Focus’ lowest team receiving grades.
As a result, the team drafted Neighbors with the sixth overall pick, adding an explosive playmaker to an offense that finished 30th in points per game while rotating between quarterbacks Daniel Jones, Tyrod Taylor and Tommy DeVito.
“I think he’s really talented,” Slayton said. “He’s good with his hands. The biggest problem with our system for a rookie is [Brian] “Daboll has done that for us. But once he figures it all out, I don’t think he’ll have any problem being successful.”
If Slayton’s Neighbors-Chase comparison holds true in 2024, it should mean some serious numbers for the Giants’ newest weapon.
Chase was a sensational rookie, finishing with 81 catches for 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns and earning a Pro Bowl selection.
Reteaming Chase with college quarterback Joe Burrow, the Bengals advanced to the Super Bowl in 2022 before losing to the Rams.
The similarities between Chase and Neighbors also seem to extend to their usage and acumen, as both are deep-ball threats and can be used in the slot and have the ability to be effective on underground routes.
Neighbors will have a tough task ahead if he wants to match the Tigers’ star’s rookie season production, but he should have a good chance to be the Giants’ No. 1 receiver from the get-go.
Neighbors and the rest of the Giants players are scheduled to report to training camp next week.
