New York Giants add explosive receiving threat, taking Malik Nabers of LSU at No. 6 in NFL draft

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Hoping to find an explosive wide receiver to open up their offense in the way Odell Beckham Jr. of LSU did a decade ago, the New York Giants went back to Cajun country and selected Malik Nabers with the No. 6 pick in the NFL draft on Thursday night.

Nabers gives the Giants a physical receiver with elite ball skills and route-running ability. He caught 89 passes for 1,569 yards and 14 TDs last season with the Tigers of the Southeastern Conference.

“Not coming into, you know, trying to replace Odell,” Nabers said of the Giants' first-round pick in 2014. "I’m just trying to lead into my own legacy.”

Nabers will have to step up to match Beckham, who was the last Giants receiver to gain 1,000 yards (2018). From 2014-16, Beckham caught at least 90 passes for 1,300 yards each season and combined for 35 touchdowns.

When it came time for the Giants to pick, they had a choice of two highly regarded receivers: Nabers and Rome Odunze of Washington.

General manager Joe Schoen said little separated the two but what he liked most about the 6-foot Nabers were his competitiveness and toughness. The 20-year-old played last season with a shoulder injury and never slowed down.

“He’s a heck of a player,” coach Brian Daboll said. "Like Joe talked about, that quickness, explosiveness right after the catch and great mindset in terms of the competitive style of play. He also played well in big games.”

Nabers met with Giants officials before the draft along with Marvin Harrison Jr. of Ohio State and Odunze on the same day. He said he was competitive that day, too. He even recalled the portly Daboll making him laugh by saying he could cover him one on one.

“I’m able to play different positions,” Nabers said. “You know, create separation, open up a great window for a quarterback to throw me the ball. Great teammate, great leader, an all-around great football player with a dog mentality when I’m out there on the field.”

With quarterback Daniel Jones coming off ACL surgery and his status for the start of the season uncertain, some felt the Giants might trade up to pick among a pool of talented quarterbacks. It didn’t happen after Chicago, Washington and New England took quarterbacks with the first three picks.

Schoen said the Giants had conversations about either moving up or down on Thursday and decided they were comfortable staying put. He added that after picking Nabers, he texted the receiver's phone number to Jones.

The soon-to-be 27-year-old Jones has led New York to one playoff berth (2022) since taking over as the starter early in his rookie season in 2019, when he was the No. 6 pick overall.

The offensively inept Giants went 6-11 last season and missed the playoffs after making the postseason in 2022. Nabers joins a receiving corps that features Darius Slayton, Wan’Dale Robinson, Jalin Hyatt and Isaiah Hodgins.

The Giants have five picks over the final two days of the draft and they need help at cornerback, running back, safety, defensive tackle, and maybe a young quarterback to join a room that includes Jones, veteran Drew Lock and hometown hero Tommy DeVito.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers celebrates after being chosen by the New York Giants with the sixth overall pick during the first round of the NFL football draft, Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers poses after being chosen by the New York Giants with the sixth overall pick during the first round of the NFL football draft, Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

FILE - LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers jogs off the field after his touchdown during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Alabama, Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Nabers is a possible first round pick in the NFL Draft. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt, File)

FILE - LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers (8) celebrates after a touchdown by teammate Brian Thomas Jr. against Grambling State during an NCAA college football game in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. Nabers is a possible first round pick in the NFL Draft.(AP Photo/Matthew Hinton, File)

LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers poses on the red carpet ahead of the first round of the NFL football draft, Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers puts on a hat after being chosen by the New York Giants with the sixth overall pick during the first round of the NFL football draft, Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers celebrates with fans after being chosen by the New York Giants with the sixth overall pick during the first round of the NFL football draft, Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers celebrates with fans after being chosen by the New York Giants with the sixth overall pick during the first round of the NFL football draft, Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers, left, poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being chosen by the New York Giants with the sixth overall pick during the first round of the NFL football draft, Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

BOSTON (AP) — Boston Bruins coach Jim Montgomery wanted to do something different with his team heading into a first-round Game 7 matchup with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Bruins were facing the prospect of blowing back-to-back 3-1 leads in the opening round and a sense of impending doom hung over the team.

Montgomery hoped a little change of scenery might do the trick. So instead of sleeping in their own beads ahead of the winner-take-all game Saturday night, they stayed at a hotel and took buses to TD Garden.

“The thinking was, we're 2-5 at home the last two years in the playoffs, and what's going to allow us to eliminate the noise?” Montgomery said.

He thought back to a visit he made to the New England Patriots' spring minicamp last year. There he spoke with former coach Bill Belichick about the importance of limiting distractions.

“It's something that stuck with me. And it's something that I've been preaching as the playoffs have been nearing,” he said.

It just may have saved Boston's season.

The Bruins overcame a deficit to tie it in regulation, then David Pastrnak scored 1:54 into overtime and the Bruins beat the Maple Leafs 2-1.

It was the kind of total team performance that Montgomery has been trying to draw out of his team since it initially took its 3-1 lead on Toronto.

It was also a slump-busing night for Pastrnak, who had a team-high four shots on goal after posting just two goals and two assists through six games. His puck handling was integral to jumpstarting Boston's offense in the third period and in overtime.

“A little relief as well,” Pastrnak said. “Obviously, the happiness from the group and sticking together the whole series was unbelievable and we couldn't be prouder of ourselves.”

Boston moves into the next round with netminder Jeremy Swayman playing at probably his highest level of the season. Since Montgomery stopped alternating Linus Ullmark and Swayman in Game 3, Swayman hasn't allowed more than two goals in a game.

“He was our best player in the series and it's not close,” Montgomery said.

It helped them ultimately narrowly avoided becoming the first NHL, NBA or Major League Baseball team to lose consecutive best-of-seven series after holding a 3-1 lead.

Montgomery said it is an experience the thinks will help him going forward.

“I think we’re a better team because of what we just went through. Now they know what it takes to push through,” he said. “First round’s the wild, wild west. It usually is. This year it seems like there’s only two Game 7s. But usually there’s six.”

And next up is another chance at redemption — and revenge — against a Florida Panthers team that rallied from 3-1 in last year’s first round to send home a Bruins team that set league records for wins and points in the regular season.

“That’s playoff hockey," Montgomery said. "Last year had no bearing on how this was going to bear out. We knew that. It’s a storyline, and that’s part of what comes with playoffs. That’s going to happen. But at the end of the day we did a great job staying in moment, believing in our group. And we came out on top.”

AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL

Toronto Maple Leafs' Matthew Knies (23) collides with Boston Bruins' Jeremy Swayman (1) during the second period of Game 7 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Boston Bruins' Hampus Lindholm (27) celebrates his goal with Justin Brazeau (55) and Trent Frederic (11) behind Toronto Maple Leafs' David Kampf (64) during the third period of Game 7 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Boston Bruins' Jeremy Swayman (1) and Linus Ullmark (35) celebrate after defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs in overtime during Game 7 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Boston Bruins' David Pastrnak (88) sets up to score on Toronto Maple Leafs' Ilya Samsonov (35) in overtime during Game 7 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Boston Bruins' David Pastrnak (88) celebrates his goal with Morgan Geekie (39), Charlie McAvoy (73) and Brandon Carlo (25) in overtime during Game 7 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)