Occasionally there is a wide receiver in college football with amazing tangibles and intangibles. This time it is TCU’s, Quentin Johnston. Currently, Johnston is touted as one of the best receivers in this upcoming draft class. Despite TCU not being a household name over the past few seasons, Johnston helped TCU become a playoff contender in just 3 short seasons. With this receiver class being relatively uncertain, Johnston will have the opportunity to put himself in the front of all counterparts in this draft class. I evaluated Johnston this year and broke down a few games from 2022.

Player Information:

Name: Quentin Johnston

School: TCU

Position: WR

Jersey #: 1

Alignment/Scheme: X

Games Watched: Vs UGA, vs Michigan, vs Texas, Vs Oklahoma

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: ? 

Athletic Ability: 9 Athletically, Johnston is as physically imposing as an AJ Brown. He is not as fast as Brown, but he has the frame to dominate any smaller DB. He is not a burner, but his long strides and acceleration are very good after the catch. 

Strength & Explosion: 8 At 6-4 215 lbs, he uses his body very well and controls his center of gravity. He dominates DB’s on the perimeter blocking and he rarely gets knocked off his spot in vertical situations. 

Competes: 8 Dominated his competition in conference. Good competitor, but he did not show up in the biggest game of his career against UGA.

Production: 7 In 32 games, Johnston scored 14 total touchdowns, which is not very impressive for a player of his caliber. His numbers improved from his freshman to sophomore year, but did not make a major jump from his sophomore to junior season. His highest reception count came in his final season with (60). 

Mental/Learning: 7 For Johnston to come into college and have an immediate impact his freshman says that he was prepared immediately to play. He seems to grasp his offense well and QB Max Duggan felt comfortable with his big play ability. 

Injury History: 5 Johnston has only missed a handful of games in his 3 seasons at TCU. Suffered a minor right ankle injury in 2022. This injury nagged him all year and forced him to leave a few games early, most notably against conference opponent Baylor. 

Player Summary:

Report:

In 3 entire seasons at TCU, Johnston played in 32 contests. Beginning his freshman year, he has led his team in per reception average in every season. Johnston’s big play ability while at TCU was undeniable. 

Despite having a breakout season in 2021, Johnston’s 2022 season was not as good as many expected. Although his receptions and yards increased, his touchdown number did not improve with 5 more games played in 2022 than in 2021. It is uncertain what led to these numbers staying the same, but surely Johnston is still one of the top receivers in this 2023 draft class. 

Johnston’s play style is very reminiscent of former West Virginia star, Kevin White. Physically, Johnston is just as physically imposing as an AJ Brown with the athleticism of  Terry Mclaurin. Initially, he is a better athlete than pure receiver. 

However, with Johnston being such a physically imposing receiver, he is able to move the chains from anywhere on the field. While I would not incorporate him into a vertical pass game consistently, his ability can be greatly utilized in possession situations. Even though he has good speed, his frame and hands can be used to gain consistent first downs. 

Does not create much separation in his route running, but his body allows him to detach from DB’s to locate the ball. For receivers with larger bodies, separation is not as much of a concern. For Johnston to be such a large body guy, his catch radius is not incredibly impressive. 

Agility is not Johnston’s strong suit. Will try to make lateral moves in open space, but he typically will lose balance or get tripped up. Has enough speed to turn a screen into a big play if he can break one tackle. He is a strong runner in a straight line. 

Hands are not a concern. 

Pro Comparison: Kevin White

Round/Grade: 2nd Round

ITH Writer/COO

-By: LeMarkus Bailey

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

SMU’s Rashee Rice has dominated College Football through Week 8

There are many household names at the receiver position throughout the nation. Names such as Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Jordan Addison have been obvious targets for NFL teams, but SMU Receiver Rashee Rice has stood out amongst all American Conference Receivers. In 5 games, he has 4 games over 100 yards and 4 touchdowns. As one of the top receivers in the conference, he will follow in a good line of former SMU receivers such as Courtland Sutton, James Proche, and Danny Gray. With 5 games left in 2022, Rice has the chance to solidify his draft position and become a top guy in the entire nation. 

Below is Rashee Rice’s full Scouting card with a year-by-year breakdown:

Player Information:

Name: Rashee Rice

School: Southern Methodist

Position: WR Z,X

Jersey #: 11

Alignment/Scheme: Spread - z, x

Games Watched: vs Maryland, vs North Texas, vs SMU, vs Lamar 

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: 8 No off-field issues reported 

Athletic Ability: 6 Explosive athlete, not exceptionally fast, twitchy, and great body control. Former basketball player in HS (PG). He also ran track. Clocked 11.7 in the 100 as a Junior. 

Strength & Explosion: 6 Good strength for a receiver. Can fight through hands. Acrobatic

Competes: 7 Very good at ball tracking. Will fight through traffic to grab the ball. Needs space to jump for balls. 

Production: 7 He has been a staple in the SMU offense for years. 2nd in yards and tied for first in TD (9) on the team in 2021

Mental/Learning: 8 A senior leader who has improved year to year.

Injury History: N/A

Player Summary:

Report: 6-1 189lbs / Rice has a very typical receiver build. He has good length and a slim frame with good strength for the position. 

In 4 years at SMU, he has improved his numbers year to year. 2019/His freshman year, he played in 8  games with 25 receptions, 400 yards, and a single score. His best performance came against Memphis where he caught 7 balls for 122 yards and a long of 61 yards.  2020/ Rice improved his numbers, catching 48 passes for 650 yards and 5 scores. His single game best was against Tulane where he caught 7 passes for 139 yards. He also scored twice against Navy the same year. 2021/ Rice continued to solidify his spot as one of the top receivers in the American conference. Despite not really improving his yardage, Rice proved to be a big play machine for the SMU football team. He was a first down  machine, averaging over 10 yards per reception. This year he did not have any games over 100 yards, but improved his touchdown total to 9 and bringing in 64 receptions. He had a 61 yard reception against North Texas and a 2 score game against LA Tech.  2022/ (10/13): In his senior season, Rice has shown why he has consistently improved each season. In 5 games of 2022, Rice has 5 games over 100 yards receiving. In his most dominant performance thus far, Rice went for 193 yards and 11 receptions against Maryland. In the season opener against North Texas, Rice went for 166 yards on 8 receptions and a score. He currently has 48 receptions, 687 yards ( career high), and 4 scores. At this current pace, Rice looks to surpass all of his career totals. 

His playmaking ability is very high. He is able to track the ball at the highest point and fight through defenders to make difficult catches. His jumping ability seems average, but his strength through contact allows him to compete effectively. He is not a blazer, but he is able to create decent separation with the use of his hands and has an elevated ability to find the holes in zone coverage. Can play all 3 receiver positions, but he has not shown much work in the slot. Sure handed and acrobatic

With the ball in his hand, Rice is a dynamic ball carrier, but he is not very quick. He is a straight ahead runner and sometimes lacks awareness of his surroundings. Does not display his blocking ability since he is in a predominantly spread offense. 

SMU has a good reputation of putting out quality NFL receivers over the last 5 years. 

Pro Comparison: Diontae Johnson, Steelers

Round/Grade: Round 3

-By: LeMarkus Bailey

ITH Writer/COO