Patriots late-round pick draws comparison to All-Pro receiver
The New England Patriots aimed to add a weapon for Mac Jones during the 2023 NFL Draft, and a wide receiver they chose is already gaining interest in media circles. In the sixth round, the Patriots selected Kayshon Boutte with the 187th overall pick. At LSU, the 6-foot, 205-pound receiver had 48 receptions for 538 […]
The New England Patriots aimed to add a weapon for Mac Jones during the 2023 NFL Draft, and a wide receiver they chose is already gaining interest in media circles.
In the sixth round, the Patriots selected Kayshon Boutte with the 187th overall pick. At LSU, the 6-foot, 205-pound receiver had 48 receptions for 538 yards with two touchdowns in his final season.
In his quick-hit thoughts and notes column about the Patriots, ESPN's Mike Reiss wrote about Boutte, bringing in another analyst's opinion.
NFL Film senior producer Greg Cosell, also an analyst on ESPN's "NFL Matchup" show, told the "Inside the Birds" podcast that he is "intrigued" by Boutte heading into the preseason and compared him to Buffalo Bills All-Pro wideout Stefon Diggs.
“If he reached his ceiling and can play to [his physical] traits all the time, I thought there’s a Stefon Diggs comparison to be made," Cosell said. "Keep in mind, Diggs came out of Maryland as a fifth-round pick and the 146th player chosen. That’s what I was comparing him to, not Stefon Diggs in the last number of years as arguably a top-five receiver in the NFL. No one thought that of Diggs when he was a fifth-round pick and 146th player chosen. Boutte is a fascinating player."
Diggs was an immediate contributor after being drafted by the Minnesota Vikings, but it took him three years to have his first 1,000-yard season. He didn’t hit All-Pro and Pro Bowl status until he was traded to the Bills in 2020.
Boutte was the only Patriots draft pick to be invited to the 29th annual NFL Players Association Rookie Premiere in Los Angeles. He was the second lowest draft pick to earn an invitation behind Cowboys sixth round (212 overall) selection Deuce Vaughn, a running back from Kansas State.
Boutte has some stiff competition at the receiver position, with the Patriots depth chart including JuJu Smith-Schuster, Kendrick Bourne, DeVante Parker, Tyquan Thornton, Raleigh Webb, Tre Nixon and Demario Douglas.
Feature Image via Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
