Kayshon Boutte 'thought' about leaving LSU during offseason

Most times, rumors are just rumors but other times, there can be some validity behind them. One of the biggest throughout college football’s offseason revolved around LSU wide receiver Kayshon Boutte and him possibly entering the transfer portal.

Viewed as the top pass catcher in the SEC, it would have been a major loss for new head coach Brian Kelly. But alas, Boutte decided to stay and will finish his career with the home state Tigers.

Boutte was asked about those rumors on Friday, saying there was some truth behind them. He said there was some “thought” behind leaving LSU but ultimately felt the best move for him as a player was to stay in Baton Rouge.

“I thought about it, I really did,” Boutte said. “There was just a lot going on but I felt like as a player, I felt like it was better for me to stay and overcome this process.”

When asked if the coaching staff played a factor, Boutte said he was trusting everything they were telling him from early on. There seems to be a sense of comfort between the star receiver and LSU heading into the 2022 season.

“I felt comfortable what they were telling us coming in and I trusted they would hold themselves to that,” said Boutte.

If Kelly is going to have success in his first season, Boutte is going to play a major role. There is currently a quarterback competition going on in Baton Rouge, with three guys vying for the job. Whoever wins will have one of the top wide receivers in college football, let alone the SEC, at their disposal. Quite the added benefit of winning out.

During his two seasons in college football, Boutte has 83 receptions for 1,244 yards and 14 touchdowns. He’s already lived up to his five-star status coming out of high school, putting up monster numbers for the Tigers. But now the goal will be putting up those stats in one season, truly emerging as the nation’s top wide receiver.

Another aspect Boutte will be focusing on this year is staying healthy. He only played in six games last year before dealing with an ankle injury. Surgery caused him to miss all of spring practice but with fall camp underway, he’s ready to contribute to LSU in a big way this season.