LSU reveals which player will wear coveted No. 7 jersey in 2022

The LSU Tigers announced on Thursday that junior wide receiver Kayshon Boutte will be the next player to wear the coveted No. 7 jersey in the 2022 season.

LSU’s tradition of awarding the No. 7 jersey to star players stretches back to the 1970s. In 2008, it was popularized with the arrival of Patrick Peterson. Other Tigers who’ve worn the number include Tyrann Mathieu, Leonard Fournette, Ja’Marr Chase and Grant Delpit. In 2021, top LSU cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. donned the legendary No. 7 prior to going No. 3 overall to the Houston Texans in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Boutte has totaled 83 catches for 1,244 yards and 14 touchdowns in his two college seasons. A leg injury held him out of a majority of the Tiger’s season last year. After healing from offseason ankle surgery, he should be ready to go for their opener on Sept. 4 versus Florida State.

Kayshon Boutte is a Louisiana native, hailing from New Iberia. Coming out of high school, he was a five-star prospect, according to the On3 Consensus. He was No. 29 overall in the nation and the No. 4 wide receiver recruit.

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— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) July 14, 2022

Best NFL fit for Kayshon Boutte

If all goes well, Kayshon Boutte will be one of the first players off the board in the 2023 NFL Draft. The explosive junior is well on his way to becoming the next wideout out of Baton Rouge to star at the next level. Although he played just six games as a sophomore, he’s a productive and healthy season away from being in Kansas City in April next year.

Michael Renner of PFF thinks the Jacksonville Jaguars could use his services.

“The Jaguars are still missing that Alpha No. 1 receiver Trevor Lawrence can rely on to get open when he sees man coverage across the board. Boutte is precisely that,” said Renner.

Jacksonville has a collection of solid receivers. Still, none are a No. 1 wideout on paper for Trevor Lawrence to work with. Renner thinks Boutte’s speed with the ball will make him a headache for NFL defenses to deal with.

“The 6-foot, 205-pound receiver has instant acceleration off the line of scrimmage and after the catch,” Renner said. “He’s the kind of weapon that strikes fear in defensive coordinators.”

Coming off injury isn’t the only issue for Boutte. He was by far Max Johnson’s favorite target before the QB transferred to Texas A&M this summer. Head coach Brian Kelly is now left with a quarterback competition with no end in sight at the moment.

On3’s Sam Gillenwater contributed to this report.