Patriots: WR put on show, too

Quarterback Jayden Daniels might not have been the only LSU prospect that caught the eye of the Patriots braintrust that made the trip to Baton Rouge this week.

De facto general manager Eliot Wolf, coach Jerod Mayo, and director of player personnel Matt Groh were conspicuous in their front-row presence throughout the day at LSU. And while the spotlight understandably was on Daniels, Malik Nabers’s performance drew raves.

The wide receiver, who did not participate at the NFL Combine last month, delivered a blazing 4.35 in the 40-yard dash — sparking a joyous post-run celebration with Daniels — that would have been the fourth-best time among the receivers who worked out in Indianapolis.

In addition, Nabers showed his explosiveness with a 42-inch vertical leap, a 10-foot-9-inch broad jump, and a series of seamless routes while catching passes from Daniels.

“I was just trying to showcase my talents, you know?” Nabers said. “Showcase my dog mentality that I have that everybody knows. I wanted to come out here on my Pro Day and shut it down. I didn’t do everything at the Combine, so I know everybody wanted to know what I was going to do here.”

The 20-year-old Nabers finished his college career as LSU’S all-time receiving leader with 3,003 yards, and he also had 189 receptions and 21 touchdowns in three seasons. In 2023, he was a unanimous All-american and first-team ALL-SEC following a season in which he hauled in 89 catches for 1,569 yards and 14 touchdowns. In addition, he had an Fbs-leading 34 plays of 20-plus yards.