In Draft Flier Kayshon Boutte, The New England Patriots Hope To Find ‘All The Potential In The World’

The 2023 NFL draft saw 21 wide receivers selected before Kayshon Boutte. But in the sixth round, the former LSU standout saw his slide come to a stop.

The New England Patriots were the reason why. What’s next lies in the hands of the No. 187 overall pick.

“Just got off the phone with some of these undrafted guys who we are looking to sign and had the message for them that really goes for everybody: Now, the opportunity is yours, and it’s up to you to make the most of it,” Patriots director of player personnel Matt Groh told reporters during his post-draft video conference.

Once an Under Armour All-American out of Louisiana’s Westgate High School, Boutte became a Freshman All-American for the Tigers in 2020.

The five-star recruit’s debut season in Baton Rouge brought 45 catches for a team-high 735 yards and five touchdowns. It also brought a finale against Ole Miss that featured a school and SEC single-game record 308 receiving yards with three visits to the end zone.

The promising start ended six starts into Boutte’s 2021 campaign with a broken right ankle sustained versus Kentucky. The sophomore still finished atop the LSU offense with 509 receiving yards and nine touchdowns that fall, bringing him to 14 touchdowns through 16 games to date.

Yet a second surgery followed the spring leading up to what would be his final fall.

“Kayshon had an unfortunate injury in 2021,” added Groh, “and sometimes it takes a little bit of time to come back from those things and it’s really going to be up to him to come in here with the right mindset.”

Switching from No. 1 to No. 7, a jersey worn by the best Tigers playmaker from the state, Boutte was never able to realize it like before. He started only half of his ten appearances under new head coach Brian Kelly in 2022. While turning the initial carry of his tenure into 41 rushing yards, the year spanned 538 receiving yards with a career-low two scores across 48 catches and seven drops.

“I would say that I want everyone to know that I am a hard worker and that I’m going to give 100%,” Boutte said Saturday during his introductory conference call as a Patriot. “I feel like I have been doubted a lot. I feel like it’s time for me to prove that I’m not that same person.”

The junior opted out of the Citrus Bowl and declared for the draft. A poor showing then arrived at the NFL Scouting Combine.

At 5-foot-11, 195 pounds with dynamic burst to all levels of the field on film, Boutte was expected to run the 40-yard dash faster than 4.5 seconds. That time took a backseat to the 29-inch vertical jump and 9-foot-10 broad jump — marks that respectively ranked last and second to last among wideouts invited Lucas Oil Stadium. And also rare in the RAS and MockDraftable historical databases.

Yet Boutte had a formal interview with the Patriots in Indianapolis and met again at his pro day.

“He’s got all the potential in the world,” Groh said. “If he wants to apply himself and to reach that potential — look, we are going to do everything we can to help him succeed. We’re going to give him every resource we can. As the saying goes: Players are our greatest resource. And we made an investment in Kayshon here in the sixth round, so looking forward to see what he can do with his opportunity.”

The draft investment in Boutte, who turns just 21 heading into rookie minicamp this May, was one of a dozen made by the Patriots in April. Fellow wide receiver Demario Douglas joined him in the sixth round out of Liberty at No. 210 overall.

Ahead is the chance to contend for what could be a single 53-man roster spot on a depth chart led by March signing JuJu Smith-Schuster, 2022 second-rounder Tyquan Thornton as well as veterans DeVante Parker and Kendrick Bourne.

“I am motivated more than ever, probably,” Boutte said. “It’s a blessing. It’s a blessing that I made it to the NFL and get drafted by the Patriots. It’s what every kid dreams of.”