The next Malik Nabers for LSU may dominate College Football this fall as hype continues at spring practice
LSU Football has seen 11 of their wide receivers drafted to the NFL in the last decade! They're about to see two more be drafted next month as both Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. are locks to be selected inside round one. And now it already looks like they have their next elite wide […]
LSU Football has seen 11 of their wide receivers drafted to the NFL in the last decade! They're about to see two more be drafted next month as both Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. are locks to be selected inside round one. And now it already looks like they have their next elite wide receiver ready to step up as he's been lighting up spring practices!
According to several reports this week, redshirt freshman Kyle Parker has been "turning heads" at LSU Football spring practices. He has quickly risen from just one of their inexperienced returning receivers to playing with the other two starters (Kyren Lacy and Chris Hilton) for the majority of practice.
Who is Kyle Parker?
Kyle Parker was a four star recruit from Lucas, Texas with incredible track speed and YAC ability when he joined LSU last season. He couldn't break into the starting lineup last season for obvious reasons. Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. weren't going to lose any snaps to a true freshman. And Kyren Lacy, who operated as the team's third receiver, brought three years of experienced production already.
But now that the two first round picks are gone, Parker is making his presence felt on the field. Not only are media members and coaches noticing, but LSU's starting quarterback Garrett Nussmeier has also been impressed. Zack Nagy of LSU Country shared Nussmeier's quote on Parker this week:
"That's awesome to see, a lot of times you see guys go from their freshman year to their sophomore year and they look totally different…He knows what he's doing and he's worked his tail off. It's been translating out on the field and he looks really good."
Kyle Parker Could Slide Into Malik Nabers Role
If Kyle Parker is going to break out in 2024 though, what does that look like and where does he fit?
The strictly outside-wide-receiver-only spot looks like that will be going to Chris Hilton. He played over 90% of his snaps last season out wide (similar to Brian Thomas Jr.). Both Kyren Lacy and Malik Nabers playd more versatile roles, splitting time between inside and outside roles. Lacy should just simply play the same role as last year, where he belongs. Parker should then slide into the Malik Nabers role of the offense as he physically compares closer to Nabers than Lacy does.
That means Parker may be pushing vertically from the slot quite often and utilizing his elite YAC ability and expansive route tree capabilities in the short to intermediate game. Parker's speed, agility, and vision with the ball in his hands will make him a weapon at every level of the field.
Expectations for Parker sound like they're already sky high within the LSU locker room. LSU's "Wide Receiver University" legacy is a lot to live up to, so Parker will have his work cut out for him. But given his quick rise up the depth chart, elite speed, after-catch skills, and perfect fit in the Malik Nabers role we may be about to witness the next great LSU wide receiver emerge this fall.
[If you want to get a closer look at his skills, check out his senior season highlights in the video below]
