Kayshon Boutte 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Kayshon Boutte 2023 NFL Draft Profile

It wasn’t too long ago that I thought Kayshon Boutte was the best wide receiver in the 2023 NFL Draft. Since that time, Boutte hasn’t done himself any favors. The former LSU receiver even changed his mind about returning to school. As Kayshon Boutte gets set to enter the pros, let’s take a look at his 2023 NFL Draft Profile.

Before I get too far into things, the character concerns feel like a legitimate concern here. Far more than the nonsense involving Jalen Carter. Does anyone actually know the scoop as to why Boutte declared instead of returning to school? There is some digging that teams will have to do here.

Boutte isn’t the same caliber of player that Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson were coming out. He’s not quite as fast or as explosive. The speed (4.50) was about as expected. That time is more than fine. However, the 29-inch vertical is really underwhelming.

If we’re diving into the game film, that’s probably his biggest knock. Does he ever bail out the quarterback? Jayden Daniels is horrible. Let’s not get it twisted. However, it never feels like he has a large catch radius. We saw that on more than one occasion this year. The thing that Boutte doesn’t have compared to LSU receivers of the past is that leaping ability. That “this ball is mine” quality.

The pure route running is there. Boutte was a monster recruit for a reason. Gets in and out of breaks really well. Has the speed to make big plays down the field. We saw him take a home run ball against Georgia this year that reminded us of how much talent is actually there. In terms of separation ability, Boutte thrives in this area.

Boutte isn’t the biggest guy in the world. Just 6-foot and the production wasn’t overwhelming either. LSU was in a transition year under Brian Kelly and Boutte for sure didn’t have a quarterback to help bail him out. Still, Boutte often looked disinterested during stretches of games on a team that won the SEC West. On the year, Boutte had 48 receptions for 538 yards and two touchdowns. Boutte just simply never progressed and did his best work as a true freshman.

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Kayshon Boutte certainly has not helped his draft stock. Still, at some point, the talent outweighs the risk. Boutte still has a shot to carve out a nice career for himself with WR2 trajectory. His landing spot might dictate his future.

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