New England Patriots rookie may have more juice than advertised
One reason the New England Patriots were able to snag LSU wide receiver Kayshon Boutte on Day 3 of the 2023 NFL Draft was a poor performance in the NFL Scouting Combine. But the numbers might have lied. Boutte shocked some with his poor testing numbers at the combine in March. Boutte, regarded as a […]
One reason the New England Patriots were able to snag LSU wide receiver Kayshon Boutte on Day 3 of the 2023 NFL Draft was a poor performance in the NFL Scouting Combine. But the numbers might have lied.
Boutte shocked some with his poor testing numbers at the combine in March. Boutte, regarded as a first-round talent by the consensus less than one year ago, was selected by New England Patriots 187th overall in the sixth round.
Boutte ran an official 4.50 as his fastest time in the 40-yard dash, alongside a 29-inch vertical jump — the worst amongst WRs.
Despite the poor combine testing, Boutte looked more explosive on tape. In a post-draft interview, Boutte did mention that he was dealing with a broken bone in his ankle during the combine. I dug deeper into his track background and status as a first-round talent to see what kind of athlete the Patriots are getting.
Boutte was one of the youngest prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft at just 20 years old. Boutte just turned 21 on May 7th. Only a few years removed, it was rumored that in high-school Boutte ran a 4.37 40-yard dash. Knowing this, I went to the tape to see if I could find evidence to show a more explosive playmaker than his combine testing numbers would suggest.
The first order of business was to look at some of Boutte's more explosive plays in college. In a September 2021 game versus Mississippi State, Boutte took a slant from QB Max Johnson to the house. It was an explosive 64-yard TD from Boutte, but who is that in coverage? Emmanuel Forbes. Forbes was selected 16th overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. Forbes ran a 4.35 40-yard dash, the fourth fastest amongst CBs.
Boutte showed the ability to stack, split and separate from defensive backs at various points in his three years at LSU. Watch Boutte flash his acceleration and pull-away speed here by splitting and getting behind these two Alabama defensive backs.
Boutte was a track star too from middle school to high school to college. He was routinely amongst the top finishers in various track and field races. Boutte's personal record for the 60-meter dash is 6.90 seconds. I found several formulas to convert track and field figures to estimated 40-yard dash times.
While none of the formulas are perfect, we can get an idea for the athlete. Boutte's personal record of 6.90 seconds in the 60-meter dash converts to a 4.21-second 40-yard dash. Now, Boutte obviously is not 4.21 fast, but running track versus a 40-yard dash is vastly different.
From my research, a buffer of .10-.15 of a second should be added to the conversion time of 4.21. That gives us a 4.31-4.36 range as a speed ceiling. That lines up with the rumored 40-yard dash time of 4.37. That was Boutte's personal record, which he ran while high school, four years ago.
Using the most recent data from his final season of running track, Boutte averaged 7.025 in the 60m dash. That converts to a 4.28-second 40-yard dash. Adding on the same .10-15 buffer, that works out to an expected 40-yard dash time of 4.38 to 4.43. Between the film and the numbers, it is fair to assume that Boutte's testing numbers aren't an accurate reflection of the speed he has shown in the past.
Boutte has the pedigree of a former five-star recruit who is less than one year removed from first-round hype attached to his name. Out of all the great receivers LSU has produced, from Odell Beckham Jr to Ja'Marr Chase to Justin Jefferson, Boutte was the fastest WR in LSU history to reach 100 receptions.
After several ankle injuries and off-the-field concerns, there is no guarantee that New England will ever get the full potential out Boutte, but this isn't your average sixth-round draft pick with low expectations.
