Dan Harms
Feb 6, 2023
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 205
Projected 40: 4.40
Strength: Always finds the Ball
Weakness: QB play
Unrealized potential.
That's the theme of Kayshon Boutte's college career. After leaving all of us wanting more after he ended his freshmen season with 308 yards and three touchdowns on 14 catches, it never quite flourished. The flashes were constantly littered throughout his time at LSU, but from poor QB play to injuries, and back again the production never met the talent. He's such an interesting player in this draft class. First, we all think he's coming out and he surprises us by electing to stay at LSU. Then, a month later he reneges and declares for the 2023 NFL draft with rumors surrounding his circumstances of a possible dismissal from LSU.
Nonetheless, the intrigue with Boutte remains. After suffering a severe leg injury in 2021, his 2022 season didn't pan out (likely why he originally was going back). He's the most talented wide receiver in this draft class. That's right.
Creating a throwing lane is among the most important tools to have in a receiver's arsenal. Boutte is faced with a defender showing inside leverage and he needs to run an over route. Sell, sell, sell. He opens the defender with verticality, decelerates, and cuts up inside using his hand to keep separation while the defender has to flip his hips and follow.
Same thing here. A safety coming down in the red zone to play man coverage on Boutte in a reduced split? It's almost too easy. Sells vertical and as soon as the hips open to the sideline, Boutte is across his face open for a touchdown he has to adjust for. This is a common theme in Boutte's tape. Adjusting for inaccurate throws is another hallmark of the talented receiver. He made multiple catches or drew penalties on throws high, low, and away in all directions.
Boutte plays a lot in the slot or in a reduced split which raises some questions about his ability to play outside. His hand usage in getting off press or dealing with man coverage is top-notch and allows him to play anywhere as a receiver. His timing against man coverage is full of intrigue.
LSU is running a play-action bootleg pass with Max Johnson at QB. Boutte has time to work the corner and does just that. A little inside stem release puts the corner where Boutte wants him, on his inside shoulder. Now, he can create contact and break to the throw without any impediment. Left shoulder goes into the corner and after a "one Mississippi" hold he breaks to the sideline. Wide open. Attacks the ball in the air and gets two feet down at the sideline.
Here's another well-timed route against man coverage. Max Johnson stinks and forced Boutte to make a crazy play on the ball and it falls incomplete. He'd score a few plays later though.
Timing and understanding leverage, check.
Together, they make him a difficult receiver to read because he can turn into a car salesman and sell defenders on any route he wants to to create holes in the defense or room for him to work. Why is his vertical 'sell' so impactful? He's not just any receiver running wind sprints downfield. He gets vertical in a hurry.
Stem speed variation is an area Boutte has *some* nuance, but his skills lie in quick micro-adjustments made at the top of his would-be routes. Great example. Lined up at the 48-yard line on the hashes he's running up the seam. Alabama is going to pull the right-most (looking at the video) safety in man coverage on the running back. Middle safety takes a step forward and then retreats deep middle. The corner with Boutte shows outside leverage. That tells him the corner *should* have help inside. The plan is set. Boutte doesn't explode out of his stance here, but around the seven-yard mark, he widens his route slightly. The corner hitches his feet a half step and Boutte turns on the jets. Kicks back up inside and flies past the corner and would-be safety help.
His speed is real and wouldn't shock me if he was able to run a tick under 4.4 at the combine. In the open field, he's gone.
He makes this look too easy. Good ball placement. Stab to the outside at the top of his route, always knowing when the corner opens their hips. See-ya. Speed kills, y'all.
We know he can create space for the QB to throw him the football, but can he create for himself after the catch? LSU didn't do a great job of putting him in great situations for it, however, sometimes you just do what you have to do.
I'm a big believer in "catch-to-attack" translating to the NFL. Catch-to-attack is how quickly the receiver can secure the catch and translate that into yards after the catch vision. We see receivers get ahead of themselves in space and oftentimes they drop the ball. Boutte does a great job attacking after the catch; his vision in space mimics a running back. We see him running a 'spot route' (designated yardage and turn). He makes the catch and adds an extra seven to eight YAC on with his athletic ability and vision. Looks like he could have hurdled in track at some point too. He's smooth.
The speed at the NFL level is different, so he may take some time to adjust, he isn't the twitchiest guy in the class (lots of those types). I comped Boutte to Clemson-Sammy Watkins. Similar build, speed, YAC ability, and hands through contact. Lofty expectations, I know. The talent is there, as more comes out about the reasons he may have had for waffling, his draft stock will ebb and flow. Many wonder, myself included, why his 2022 season didn't pan out. He only had two games over 51 yards. It's peculiar. One thing is certain, a team will take a chance on the talent. I'll leave you with, likely, his best play from the 2022 season that he saved for the SEC championship game. Enjoy.