Todd McShay explains why Kayshon Boutte tops his NFL Draft board among receivers

ESPN’s NFL Draft analyst Todd McShay has revealed his No. 1 wide receiver prospect for the 2023 NFL Draft, and despite some stiff competition, McShay’s top wideout comes in the form of LSU star Kayshon Boutte.

“Kayshon Boutte, my number one wide receiver,” McShay said. “And listen, he’s coming off that injury, he had to have another ankle surgery, and certainly it’s all about health with him. But when he was healthy, look at what he did. He was on pace to be the Biletnikoff winner last year – six games he played. At the end of the season, he was still the leading receiver for LSU with 508 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. That’s how impactful he was on that team.”

Through two two seasons at LSU, Boutte has compiled 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. Now back and healthy, Boutte would surely like to double his career receiving yards in 2022 and establish himself as the nation’s top wide receiver.

First things first, however, and Boutte needs to put together a complete season. Last year he only played in six games after going down with a lower leg injury. If Boutte can stay healthy and consistent in 2022, he will be a strong candidate for the Biletnikoff Award at the end of the season, as well as a first-round lock in many expert’s draft boards.

“Listen, I love [Jordan Addison], I love [Jaxon Smith-Njigba],” McShay said about the rest of the wide receiver prospects. “The’re phenomenal college players and will be really good NFL players. If Boutte puts it together, with how physical he is, how aggressive he is attacking the ball, and also the extra twitches that I see in his game compared to the other guys – I think he’s got a chance to be special.”

Slotting Boutte ahead of Addison – the reigning Biletnikoff Award winner – and Smith-Njigba, who just came off a record-breaking Rose Bowl performance, is a bold move. But, Boutte has proved his worth and will surely be the most valuable member of the LSU offensive efforts in 2022.