NFL Draft Profile: Kayshon Boutte, Wide Receiver, LSU Tigers

NFL Draft profile scouting report for LSU WR Kayshon Boutte

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#1
Pos: WR
Ht: 5111
Wt: 195
Hand: 0948
Arm: 3138
Wing: 7678
40: 4.50
DOB: 5/17/2002
Hometown: New Iberia, LA
High School: Westgate
Eligibility: 2023

Kayshon Boutte
LSU Tigers

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One-Liner:

An aggressive pass-catcher with omnipresent physicality and elusiveness, answering any durability concerns will solidify his spot atop the receiver class.

Evaluation: 

Quality musculature and adequate height for the position. Moves all around the offense, playing the X, Z, and F positions. Substantial play strength and competitive toughness for the receiver position. Embraces the middle of the field with a scorer's mentality. Every touch is met with intent, breaking multiple tackles, and eluding defenders. Overachiever when it comes to yards after the catch, having no business gaining as much ground as he does. Willing blocker, looking to finish defensive backs, and dig out safeties, validating his competitive stamina. Hand usage defeats press coverage and allocates space at the top of his route. Uses head fakes and foot tempo sparingly, but understands how to. True hands catcher, attacking the ball and playing back into the quarterback on hitches and comebacks. Quality feet in small spaces, showing suddenness at the line of scrimmage and apex of the route. Fast enough to hit for six when the seas part. Impressive mental processing, using spatial awareness to re-route and alleviate broken plays. Knows where the sticks are, and appropriately attacks leverage with context. Unhealthy for much of 2021 before missing the last month of the season. Explosiveness and play speed took a hit, showing an inability to separate vertically or push cushions. Little nuance within his routes, lacking consistent tempo, stems, or sharpness. Doesn't always catch the ball well in traffic, especially considering his confident hands. Balance and body control can fade after his break point. A healthy Boutte is a force, having the stipulated hands, and playmaking ability to be a game-breaker. Consistency and health will go a long way in his draft positioning.

Grade: 

Late Round 1

Quotes:

An explosive big-play threat, Boutte is next in a long lineage of wide receivers to hail from Baton Rouge. The LSU locomotive is tough to bring down after the catch, he can cut on a dime and possesses dangerous change of direction speed. In addition to his quick burst and acceleration, his awareness is elite. Boutte can contort his body, adjust to badly thrown balls and always seems to know where the sideline is. He sat out the spring, as he was still recovering from a season-ending ankle injury, which required a second surgery. Despite inconsistent quarterback play and missed time, Boutte has lit up the scoreboard when in action, registering 14 scores and 1,244 receiving yards in 16 games (11 starts). He also set a new SEC record for receiving yards in a game (308) as a freshman. The only thing preventing Boutte from being a first-round pick come April is his durability. - Ric Serritella

“WR Kayshon Boutte: Quick-footed and sudden WR that contains inside-outside versatility. Strong hands to frame and snatch the ball away.”

Jordan Reid, ESPN Twitter.

“He will give Jaxon Smith-Njigba a run for his money for the Biletnikoff Award”.

Anthony Treash, PFF, Twitter. 

Background:

Kayshon Boutte became a tremendous receiver after former LSU receiver Terrace Marshall opted out. Boutte had an outstanding end to his freshman year with three straight 100-yard receiving games for the Tigers. Being a star freshman receiver for LSU shows his potential not only in his sophomore year but for years to come not only at LSU but in the NFL.