The New England Patriots made a low-risk, high-reward addition to their receiving corps in Round 6 of the 2023 NFL Draft.
With the 187th overall pick, the Patriots on Saturday selected LSU wide receiver Kayshon Boutte, a once-vaunted prospect whose stock plummeted after he struggled last season and then turned in an uninspiring performance at the NFL Scouting Combine.
The No. 2-ranked receiver in the 2020 recruiting class, Boutte was a solid freshman contributor (including a 14-catch, 308-yard, three-touchdown eruption against Ole Miss) and was off to a terrific start in 2021 (38 catches, 509 yards, nine touchdowns through six games) before an ankle injury ended his season. A year ago, he was viewed as a potential future first-round prospect.
Boutte wasn't nearly as productive upon his return from that injury, posting a lackluster 48-538-2 receiving line in 11 games while clashing with Brian Kelly and his new Tigers coaching staff. He entered the draft with major concerns about his maturity and coachability, as well as his overall athleticism after he tested poorly at the combine, including a vertical jump that ranked in the second percentile among wide receivers.
The Athletic's Dane Brugler called the 5-foot-11, 195-pound Boutte "a confounding evaluation because he shows the athletic talent to be an NFL weapon, but his effort level doesn't always match his ability, and most scouts view him as a slot-only prospect."
"Though he has NFL starting skills," Brugler wrote in his draft guide, "the unpredictable nature of his game complicates his pro projection."
The sixth and seventh rounds are the time to take fliers on imperfect players, however, and Boutte has the talent to make this pick look like steal. He's still young (turns 21 next month), so there's still time for him to grow and mature. And if he doesn't and can't handle the Patriots' demanding culture, then New England can simply cut him. Players selected this late never are locks to make the 53-man roster regardless.
Boutte joins a receiving corps that features JuJu Smith-Schuster, DeVante Parker, Kendrick Bourne, Tyquan Thornton, Tre Nixon and Lynn Bowden.
