Pats Pulpit
Previewing the Patriots wide receiver heading into his third season in the NFL.
The New England Patriots double-dipped at the wide receiver position in the 2023 NFL Draft, but the players they took found themselves on a different trajectory during their rookie seasons. While DeMario Douglas was one of the few positives on an otherwise lackluster offense, Kayshon Boutte failed to make much of an impact in Year 1.
That all changed in his second season: Boutte became a mainstay on offense, and finished as one of the most productive receivers on the team. Does any of this mean something for 2025, though?
Name: Kayshon Boutte
Position: Wide receiver
Jersey number: 9
Opening day age: 23 (5/7/2002)
Measurements: 5’11 1/4”, 197 lbs, 31 3/8” arm length, 9 1/2” hand size, 4.50s 40-yard dash, 7.14s 3-cone drill, 4.25s short shuttle, 29” vertical jump, 9’10” broad jump, 11 bench press reps, 4.99 Relative Athletic Score
NFL: New England Patriots (2023-) | College: LSU (2020-22)
Boutte was a highly sought-after recruit coming out of Westgate High School in New Iberia, LA. Even though he drew interest from some of the top colleges in the country, he decided to stay close to home and committed to LSU just 50 miles from his hometown.
He immediately burst onto the scene in Baton Rouge and earned Freshman All-SEC honors in his first season with the team. However, Boutte never managed to build on the 45-catch, 735-yard, 5-touchdown season he had in 2020. While he was still productive and ended up starting 21 of his 27 career games as a Tiger, his final stat-line — 131-1781-16 — as well as his overall stint at LSU fell short of initial expectations.
Boutte decided to leave college early, and was selected 187th overall in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. After the aforementioned quiet rookie season with the Patriots, he showed significant progress in Year 2. As a consequence, his pro résumé includes 45 catches, 608 yards and 3 touchdowns in 20 games.
Strengths: Boutte has a natural talent for catching the football with his hands rather than his body. He shows good concentration and body control, successfully extending his frame to widen his catch radius. He is physical at the catch point and able to outmuscle defensive backs for the ball; his 75 percent success rate in contested catch situations (9 of 12) was the highest among New England’s wide receivers.
He additionally has had some good moments releasing off the line versus press, combining serviceable acceleration and speed with the ability to create separation at the top of his routes. Boutte also has looked competitive as a run blocker and is willing to get his hands dirty or meet contact.
Weaknesses: Boutte is only an average athlete, lacking any standout traits that would point toward consistent NFL success; he is not a true speedster but also lacks the agility and suddenness in his movements to shake defenders...
