The New England Patriots need depth at the wide receiver position, and it appears rookie wide receiver Kayshon Boutte could be emerging as a player to help give them exactly that.
On Wednesday, the sixth-round draft pick made several notable plays in both one-on-one and 11-on-11 team drills. If he continues to put it together on the field, Boutte has the chance to be a steal for New England.
His career at LSU was notable with him recording 131 receptions for 1,782 yards and 16 touchdowns in three seasons of play. In his final year with the team, he finished with 48 catches for 538 yards and two touchdowns.
A rocky end to his collegiate career caused him to slip in the draft. And yet, there he was on the Patriots’ practice field making plays on Day 7 of training camp. NESN.com’s Zack Cox called Wednesday’s practice for the wide receiver his best one of the summer.
Best practice of the summer so far from Kayshon Boutte. He won both of his 1-on-1 reps (vs. Gonzalez and Jon Jones) and just made a nice sliding catch along the sideline from Mac Jones.
— Zack Cox (@ZackCoxNESN) August 2, 2023
This is certainly an encouraging sign for New England.
Fellow rookie Demario Douglas also appears to be shining brightly in camp to this point. Fans were upset when New England did not draft a first-round wide receiver. However, the emergence of Boutte could prove that New England selected a receiver at just the right time.