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The New England Patriots selected Boutte with the 187th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He will have to battle hard in training camp to be the team’s WR3, so he likely will serve more as a depth piece as a rookie.
LSU receiver Kayshon Boutte was slated to return to school for his senior season but reversed course and decided it would be best to enter his name into the 2023 NFL Draft.
Boutte burst onto the scene in 2020, catching 45 passes for 735 yards and five touchdowns. He earned Freshman All-Americans honors as well as the All-SEC Freshman team. That would be the best season he had thought as he battled injuries and inconsistent play throughout his time at LSU. He finished his career with 13 receptions, 1,782 yards, and 16 touchdowns. Boutte could have used another year in school with some consistency at quarterback for LSU he could have a big year.
Kayshon Boutte: Scouting Report
Boutte has all the physical skills and talent to be an elite receiver at the next level. His freshman and sophomore years were prime examples of who he could be, but his inconsistent play from 2022 could score some teams. He can turn a short play into a big gain and work well at the second level of the defense. There shouldn’t be problems with him getting separation at the next level.
The questions surrounding him are his hands sometimes he struggles to extend his hands and make catches away from his body. Boutte also ran simple routes while at LSU, so we will need to see what he can do at the next level to develop that aspect of his game. He had two surgeries on his ankle, so that needs to be monitored. Once receivers start to develop those sorts of injuries, sometimes it’s hard to fully recover. Lastly, Boutte has less than stellar combine results running a 4.5 40-yard dash and a 29-inch vertical.
Mock Draft landing spots
Boutte is being projected as either a late-third or fourth-round selection in this year’s draft. NFL.com’s Chad Reuter has him going at No. 91 in the third to the Seattle Seahawks.
Fantasy football implications
Boutte could certainly be a useful bench option for a team in year one. His potential will be too much to pass on for a lot of teams. He can turn a small play into a big one, which could bode well for a fantasy team. The LSU product could be worth a late-round selection in the event he does break out and have a productive rookie season.