An Early NFL Draft Scouting Report: LSU WR Kayshon Bouette

Since Kayshon entered college in 2020, he has been a major part of the LSU passing attack. His dynamic play making ability has definitely opened many eyes of scouts and at one point he was ranked as the top of all college football receivers. This analysis will detail Bouette’s tools that propelled him to the forefront of college football. 

Player Information:

Name: Kayshon Bouette

School: LSU

Position: Wide Receiver

Jersey #: #7

Alignment/Scheme: Slot, X

Games Watched: vs FSU, vs Ole Miss, vs Bama, vs Ole Miss (2021)

Major Factors: # Notes:

Grading Scale:       9 - Special  8 - All-Pro  7.5 - Pro Bowler  7 - Good Starter  6.5 - Avg. Starter  6 - Good Backup  5.5 - Role Player  5 - Developmental

Personal/Behavior: ?  No Major Developments Reported 

Athletic Ability: 7 Athletically, Boutte can get it down from anywhere on the field. He is a receiver with a Runningback build. He is a stocky player weighing about 205 lbs at 6 feet. He can run well after the catch and consistently breaks tackles. 

He is fast, but not blazing. He has no issues creating separation from defensive backs.  He is very balanced and twitchy. 

Strength & Explosion: 7.5 Very physical football player. He is aggressive in blocking and he has a knack for shedding tackles once the ball is in his hands. He is built low to the ground with a good center of gravity. (10.9 in 100-yard dash)

Competes: 7 Very competitive. He is not a tall receiver, but he will go up and track the ball. Works to keep the ball out of his body. Stalk block expert. He gets under pads and maintains good leverage. Works to finish the block. In a run-heavy offense at LSU, Boutte seems to enjoy blocking. 

Production: 6 Very productive over his time at LSU. In his freshman season, he brought in 5 touchdowns with a 300-yard and 3-touchdown game against Ole Miss (2020).  In 2021 before a season-ending injury, in 6 games he scored 9 touchdowns. 2022 has not been his best season of production, but he has contributed greatly to a winning LSU team with a new QB. 

Mental/Learning: 7 As a three-year starter, he has fulfilled his role as a WR at LSU. Has had no mentions of an inability to learn a playbook or fit in a scheme. In 2022, his numbers have decreased and he still contributes on a weekly basis to the modified LSU scheme. 

Injury History: 6 Suffered a season-ending ankle injury his sophomore year. (Played 6 games)

Player Summary:

Report: 6’0’’ 205 lbs Out of New Iberia, Louisiana, Boutte has been an integral part of the LSU offense since 2020. A year after the 2019 National Championship, Boutte came into the lineup to replace the lost production of Jamar Chase and Justin Jefferson. He immediately made a name for himself. 

Boutte does not impress me as a true wide receiver, however, he is a great athlete at the receiver position. His physicality and motor allow him to do almost anything he wants at receiver. Similar to Antonio Gibson (WAS), he is very dynamic with the ball in his hands. 

Hands: His hands are very sure. He works to keep the ball out of his body and does not drop many easy balls. When making contested catches, he occasionally will have them knocked away which can contribute to his shorter frame. 

Route Running: Not as refined a route runner as Jefferson or Chase, but he is very serviceable and with his ability to create separation on vertical balls, he can get open. The point of emphasis for Boutte would surely be his route running. It can also be speculated that his route running ability has decreased since injuring his ankle in 2021, which would greatly affect his ability to plant. 

Agility/Quickness: He has above average quickness. He is quicker with the ball in his hands than in running his routes. Very accomplished in the screen game because he will put his foot in the ground fast and get North. 

Blocking: He is very physical and willing to do the dirty work. Does not shy away from any blocker and will make contact before the defenders. 

Catch Radius: Superb radius for his body type. He is not lengthy, but he can jump for balls located in his vicinity. Will go through the defenders body to make catches. 

Size: Not amazing size for the position, but like many of the league's top receivers, they have smaller frames with very good catch radius and explosion.

Pro Comparison: Antonio Gibson

Round/Grade: Late 2nd-3nd Round

ITH Writer/COO

-By: LeMarkus Bailey