The Patriots have rolled the cube and brought probabilities on draft picks earlier than.
Be it damage issues, questions on effort, or off-field points, the Patriots haven’t shied away from playing on a participant who falls into any of the these classes. Especially if mentioned participant has expertise that may be honed and developed.
Enter Kayshon Boutte.
Which class does the Patriots 2023 sixth-round draft choose fall into? Judging by a number of draft profiles on Boutte, all the above.
The LSU receiver has what seems to be a nagging proper ankle drawback, one which’s required two totally different surgical procedures. Unnamed sources have additionally questioned his effort and maturity. And, in line with The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, Boutte deliberate to return to LSU for his senior season however “an off-field incident put his status with the team in jeopardy,” so he declared for the draft.
A less-than spectacular Combine additionally didn’t assist his trigger. He ran a 4.50-second 40-yard sprint and a 7.14-second 3-cone drill. In different phrases, nothing particular.
With that as a backdrop, groups have been reluctant to drag the set off throughout Day 1 and Day 2 on the wideout, who regarded to have all of the instruments to be an NFL star after his freshman 12 months. Once thought of a sure-fire first-round choose, Boutte tumbled down the board till the Patriots pounced.
Red flags and all, the Patriots have been undaunted. They really feel he’s well worth the gamble.
So does Patriots Hall of Famer Kevin Faulk, who was on LSU’s employees because the working backs coach throughout Boutte’s freshman and sophomore seasons. Given that, he is aware of Boutte fairly effectively, and loves the choose for the Patriots.
Faulk, who now serves because the director of Alumni Relations and Community Outreach for the varsity, was completely satisfied to offer some context.
Faulk, reached in the course of the week, mentioned he’s heard about and skim among the tales knocking Boutte, and objected to a number of of the criticisms, calling among the reviews “crazy.”
Not coachable?
“All I can tell you is I don’t know where that came from. Because when I was with that kid, he was very coachable,” Faulk mentioned. “When you say a kid’s not coachable, that means a coach can’t relate to who the kid is as a player. That’s all that is to me.”
Ed Orgeron, who led the Tigers to a nationwide championship, beating Clemson in January 2020, was Boutte’s first head coach, however he left LSU following the 2021 season. Brian Kelly took over final 12 months with a brand new employees.
The change could have contributed to among the points plaguing Boutte in 2022, stopping him from getting again all of the promise he confirmed in 2020.
That 12 months, as a freshman, Boutte mainly took over because the Tigers’ main man after Ja’Marr Chase determined to decide out of that season. Boutte earned Freshman All-American and SEC All-Freshman Team honors as he led the Tigers with 735 receiving yards (45 receptions and 5 touchdowns in 10 video games).
He began the primary six video games of the 2021 season (38 receptions, 509 yards, 9 TDs) however missed the remainder of the season with a proper ankle damage.
Might the damage and energy issues be related? Then exacerbated by the teaching change in 2022?
Faulk recommended individuals watch clips from Boutte’s first two seasons and choose for themselves if there was a problem with effort. He additionally doesn’t essentially imagine the ankle might be problematic going ahead.
He believes it’s extra a matter of Boutte constructing again confidence with the ankle after a number of surgical procedures.
“You don’t know what happens to a guy when an injury happens,” mentioned Faulk. “You’ve got to have a strong mental capacity, to be able to withstand it, and move through it.”
To state his case additional, Faulk identified that new Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien acquired to see Boutte up shut and private when Alabama performed LSU in 2021 and 2022.
If O’Brien had an issue with Boutte, who has reportedly agreed to his rookie deal (4 years, $4.027 million), he would have weighed in.
“They know what they’re getting,” Faulk mentioned of the Patriots. “Bill O’Brien coached against him when he was with Alabama. So he knew what type of receiver he was getting.”
In 2020, O’Brien wasn’t but with the Crimson Tide, however he actually needed to watch movie of Boutte’s eight-catch effort for 111 yards from that season. Boutte was injured for the 2021 recreation, however final 12 months in opposition to Alabama, he had seven catches for 51 yards in an LSU victory.
To his credit score, Boutte didn’t make excuses or disguise from what went down throughout his 2022 season. He was accountable, needs to maneuver previous it, and is grateful the Patriots took an opportunity on him.
Asked what he needs individuals to find out about him, Boutte lower to the chase.
“I would say that I want everyone to know that I am a hard worker and that I’m going to give 100%,” he mentioned. “I feel like I have been doubted a lot, I feel like it’s time for me to prove that I’m not that same person.”
While Boutte has additionally had some points with drops throughout his school profession, his expertise is simple.
Boutte, who’s 5-foot-11, 195 kilos, was a five-star recruit popping out of highschool. He was additionally a observe star, which made his Combine outcomes a bit confounding.
Assuming he can revert to his earlier kind, he’s a menace with the ball in his fingers and has playmaking potential, one thing the unit might use.
Whether lining up within the slot, or out on the skin, he has terrific change-of-direction expertise. He’s elusive in house. That first season, he was probably the most explosive gamers in school soccer.
“I am motivated more than ever probably,” mentioned Boutte. “It’s a blessing. It’s a blessing that I made it to the NFL and get drafted by the Patriots. It’s what every kid dreams of.”
Said Faulk: “I’d say he’s definitely a steal for the Patriots.”
The Shrine guys
Spoke with Eric Galko, who’s the Shrine’s Bowl’s director of soccer operations.
He had loads of nice issues to say about Shrine Bowl members Demario Douglas and Atonio Mafi, who have been coached by the Patriots that week, and finally drafted by them.
Let’s begin with Douglas, the sixth-round choose who was a receiver/returner for Liberty.
Galko in contrast him favorably to a present Patriot.
“As an overall player, I compare him to the offense’s version of Marcus Jones,” mentioned Galko. “He’s a dynamic slot receiver, jet-motion receiver, returner, and a very, very good returner … I think he’ll be a playmaker in Year 1.”
If he’s that good on particular groups, maybe that may enable Jones to contribute just a little extra on offense, alongside together with his main function as a defensive again.
Galko mentioned Douglas goes by “Pop,” and referred to him as such.
“Pop was asked to be the playmaker in (Liberty’s) offense consistently, and I don’t think he had a chance to develop on the field as a route runner the way he wanted to,” mentioned Galko. “I feel he has a lot room to get higher as a route runner. As a participant, he is aware of that. He’s extraordinarily coachable.
“I know the Patriots definitely covet his skillset both on and off the field, about what kind of guy he’d be in there.”
As for Mafi, Galko mentioned the Patriots’ fifth-round choose began out as a “400-pound nose tackle,” however was slowly circled to the opposite facet of the road.
“UCLA has done a terrific job developing him slowly, allowing him to become an offensive guard and know what he’s doing,” mentioned Galko. “He made huge strides this year.”
So a lot in order that Galko additionally initiatives him to be a future starter on the Patriots offensive line.
“He’s a big mountain of a man who puts nose tackles or linebackers on their butts. That’s the kind of player Atonio Mafi is,” mentioned Galko. “He’s not a project. He’s not far off. His upside is to be one of the better interior offensive linemen in the league. If Mafi is starting by Week 8 or Week 9, I wouldn’t be surprised at all.”
It’s attention-grabbing to notice that Mafi already acquired his grasp’s diploma in schooling. Another enjoyable reality is that he went to Junipero Serra High School in San Mateo, Calif., which occurs to be Tom Brady’s hometown.
“In this area everyone kind of knows the greats that have come through these high schools,” Mafi mentioned throughout his convention name after being chosen by the Patriots. “I’m actually having my draft party here at Serra at the high school, so everyone kind of knows I grew up a Patriots fan and watching Tom Brady and it’s kind of surreal. It was kind of a full circle moment leading up there, too. So really excited for the future.”
Chemistry lesson
During Mike Vrabel’s video name with reporters Thursday, the latest Patriots Hall of Fame member talked about how his time in New England, successful three Super Bowls, set him up for his future as a head coach.
It additionally formed how he tries to construct his personal groups, drawing from what was profitable throughout his time with the Patriots. Chemistry is essential.
“I loved coming to work with the players, and I think that that’s something that I’ll always miss, is what we had in the locker room,” mentioned Vrabel, the top coach for the Tennessee Titans. “I still always want to try to recreate what we did there where the players were the ones that were trying to hold each other accountable, and not in a negative way, but just in a positive way, and how you push guys and how you work and how you want to prepare.”
Vrabel was voted in by the followers on a poll with former Patriots offensive lineman Logan Mankins, and former head coach Bill Parcells.
Vrabel, the thirty fourth inductee to the Patriots Hall, will be a part of former assistant coach Dante Scarnecchia, who was named as a contributor, in an induction ceremony at a date nonetheless to be decided.
Rogers excessive on Wilson
Aaron Rodgers is already pumping up Garrett Wilson, who figures to be his new go-to-receiver with the Jets.
Rodgers mentioned Tuesday on “The Pat McAfee Show” that there are similarities between the Jets’ second-year pass-catcher and three-time All-Pro Davante Adams, who performed nearly all of his profession with Rogers.
“Garrett, he’s a talented guy,” Rodgers mentioned. “I threw him a pass today and just kind of turned and was like, ‘Wow.’ His ability to kind of get in and out of his breaks, there’s another (No.) 17 I played with for a long time who does it better than anybody. But the explosiveness in and out of the breaks to 17 here is pretty similar.”
While the Jets have introduced in a few Rodgers’ wideouts from Green Bay (Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb), Wilson, the tenth total choose within the 2022 draft, is a burgeoning star.
As a rookie, catching passes from a number of quarterbacks, Wilson caught 83 passes for 1,103 yards and 4 touchdowns en path to successful the Offensive Rookie of the Year award.
Source: www.bostonherald.com