The Wide Receiver Prospect with Game-Breaking Skills but None of the Hype
Josh Frey
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This year’s NFL Draft class has a wide receiver group that isn’t necessarily the most loaded, especially in terms of first-round talent. That being said, there are intriguing prospects all over the place that could impact teams as Day 2 or even Day 3 picks.
One day before the draft, one of those wide receiver prospects with potentially game-breaking skills but none of the hype is LSU WR Kayshon Boutte.
Heading into the 2022 season, the situation was reversed. Many considered him to be one of the most talented players in this draft class. He was coming off a 38/509/9 season in 2021 despite playing just six games, and he was awarded the No. 7 jersey by LSU, historically reserved for the best player on the team.
Then, the 2022 season actually began, and it couldn’t have gotten off to a worse start for Boutte. He caught just two passes for 20 yards in a Week 1 loss to Florida State, and he immediately deleted everything LSU related from his Instagram account.
It took some time, but eventually Boutte hit his stride down the stretch of the season. While his numbers still didn’t reflect those of a star WR1, teams still consistently threw double-teams at him because they knew what he was capable of. Then, in his final game for LSU against the eventual back-to-back national champion Georgia Bulldogs, he finally had his big breakout, catching 6 passes for 107 yards, and a touchdown.
Boutte seemed like he had regained at least some favor with the draft media after that game, but then, a combine performance where he ran just a 4.5 40 and had a 29″ vertical despite measuring in at just 5’11 and 195 pounds. For a prospect that also had an underwhelming season, he could not afford to have underwhelming measurements.
That being said, when he’s on, it’s hard to say that Boutte doesn’t have some of the best talent in this receiver class. He’s a yards after the catch machine and is plenty capable of making plays like this:
He made the best defense in college football look silly on that touchdown catch and run, and this balance and shiftiness after the catch is what truly makes him intriguing as a prospect. It’s one thing to be able to run crisp routes (which he also does very well), but 228 of his 538 receiving yards came after the catch, for an average of nearly five yards after catch per reception.
It is extremely difficult to place an exact value on Boutte heading into this draft. He has all the talent in the world, but sometimes it feels like he checks out, especially this past year at LSU. He also is the youngest receiver in this class (won’t turn 21 until May 7th), so perhaps this is a simple issue of him needing to mature.
Landing with the right NFL team could be great for him and his development, but if he lands in a less ideal situation, it could be disastrous. The idea of pairing him with Justin Jefferson in Minnesota is a very intriguing one too, especially if the Vikings can get him with a Day 3 pick.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.