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Kayshon Boutte, LSU: 5’11”, 195 pounds.
The number two wide receiver recruit in 2020, Kayshon Boutte caught 45 passes for 735 yards and five touchdowns over ten games as a true freshman, despite the sub-par quarterback play for LSU.
He racked up 503 yards in six games in his second season before breaking his ankle. Last year, he started off on the wrong foot with the new coaching staff under Chip Kelly (even removing all LSU-related photos from his social media profiles), but did end up with 48 grabs for 538 yards. His decision to ultimately declare for this draft was also head-scratching, after he initially said he’s return to the Tigers for 2023.
Kayshon Boutte scout report: Strengths
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+ Watching his 2021 tape, I thought Kayshon Boutte kind of looked like Ja’Marr Chase in that number one jersey.
+ Has those sudden feet and that instant burst off the line, which makes him tough to put a hand on.
+ Can reduce the inside shoulder to avoid contact and get a step on corners on straight go routes, but also beat guys across their face by releasing inside with a strong follow-through.
+ Overall displays plus flexibility to tilt away from defenders without having to get too far off his landmarks (as well as pivot off the foot he’s snapping his hips around towards).
+ Can sit in the chair and come to a stop or make challenging cuts, particularly on those 90-degree breakers, while seemingly gaining speed as he shoots inside on slants/glances.
+ Attacks the blind-spots of defenders well and makes corners overrun the break point on curl routes regularly.
+ Presents an attractive target on deep out routes after stemming inside and selling like he’ll go to the middle of the field.
+ Went from a little under half the snaps in 2021 to spending 72.1% in the slot last season. There, he showed good awareness for gearing down as he approached soft spots in zone coverage, bringing his head around once he cleared the second level vertically.
+ Has the vertical push off the snap against bigger nickel defenders, regularly putting those guys on their heels (creating space to work back down the stem).
+ Excels at using his hands to create separation from his man down the field by swiping down the opponent’s reach. Displays tremendous concentration, letting the ball drop into the bucket.
+ In general, he really snatches the ball out of the air, away from his body, and presents elite ball-skills with how easy it is for him to adjust down the field.
+ Already showcased impressive sideline awareness, being able to get his feet down in bounds.
+ Brings that running back mindset with the ball in his hands (ten missed tackles forced on 49 touches last season).
+ Has the juice to catch a slant route, work across the field and run away from the defense on the opposite sideline.
+ Uses head-fakes to freeze and the stiff-arm in brilliant fashion, to not allow defenders to cut him down at his legs.
+ LSU made it a priority to put the ball in his hands on slip screens, swings off orbit motions and fly sweeps.
+ He did have to deal with several off-target throws that didn’t allow him to make the most of them and led him away from contact.
+ Had one of the most fun touchdowns of the 2021 season when he beat one of the UCLA corners on a dig route and let that guy run into the umpire, allowing him to break away for a long touchdown.
+ Sells that outside release so well that he typically pulls the corner with his him on take-offs.
+ When he attacks the chest of corners, he shows forceful hands to not get swiped by.
Kayshon Boutte scout report: Weaknesses
– Can win off the line and present himself as a target on fade routes, but he doesn’t have that pull-away speed to expand that separation vertically, and would benefit from swatting down the reach of his man to be able to stack.
– Doesn’t do a whole lot in terms of manipulations at the break point against defenders in off-coverage.
– His contested catch rate of 33.0% for his career is underwhelming, especially for a guy who should do a lot of his damage over the middle of the field (45.5% in 2022). A 29-inch vert at the combine isn’t much of a positive sign in terms of being able to win above the rim either.
– With passes thrown at hip-level or below, you’d like to see Boutte catch and run with it, rather than allowing its momentum to take him to the turf or drop them altogether (seven drops on 55 catchable targets last season).
Kayshon Boutte scout report: Grade
Kayshon Boutte is one of the most controversial names in the entire draft and one I struggle to even place in any sort of ranking due to the circumstances.
Boutte was my number two wide receiver heading into this past season, but he simply did not look invested enough and I believe hurt himself by coming out this year (when he has the natural talent to emerge again as a first-round prospect).
Without the necessary information about his ankle and what I can expect from him in terms of work-ethic/football character, I don’t feel comfortable stacking Kayshon Boutte up with the rest of this group. Ultimately, if a team does think he’ll be able to stay on the field with the right mindset, I’d have no problem with him going as high WR6.
The suddenness off the line, the natural ability to sink and explode out of his break, the ball-skills and the special YAC skills are all right there if you go back to the ’21 tape.
Grade: Late second / early third round.
You might like other 2023 NFL Draft Scouting Reports: Jaxon Smith-Njigba (WR), Ohio; Zay Flowers (WR), Boston; Jordan Addison (WR), USC; Jalin Hyatt (WR), Tennessee; Jordan Addison (WR), USC; Quentin Johnston (WR), TCU; Zach Charbonnet (RB), UCLA; Bijan Robinson (RB), Texas.
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