The Patriots finally added a wide receiver in the draft on Saturday, spending their first pick of the sixth round (No. 187) on former LSU wideout Kayshon Boutte.

Projected as a fourth-round pick in his NFL.com draft profile, Boutte is described as a prospect who had an “uneven” college career and also dealt with serious ankle injuries. NFL scout Lance Zierlein believes Boutte “has playmaking potential if he reverts to his previous form.”

• That would be his form from 2020-21, when he caught 83 passes for 1,244 yards – a 15.0-yard average – and scored 14 touchdowns in 16 games over his first two seasons. Boutte’s yards per catch dropped to 11.6, and he only scored twice in his final season in 2022, and he then had a disappointing Combine with a meh 4.5 in the 40-yard dash. Those factors combined to tank his draft stock.

  Despite the setbacks for Boutte over the last two years, Zierlein still believes he “could work his way into an eventual WR2/3 role barring any further issues with his right ankle.” The ankle will be the biggest question for Boutte in the short-term. Scouting reports generally laud Boutte’s ability to make plays and gain extra yards after the catch, but note drops and inconsistent hands as something to improve.

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  ATLANTA, GEORGIA – DECEMBER 03: Kayshon Boutte #7 of the LSU Tigers against the Georgia Bulldogs during the SEC Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 03, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

• As a sixth-round pick, Boutte is essentially a lottery ticket, but there could be headway for him on an uncertain Patriots depth chart. Only Tyquan Thornton and JuJu Smith-Schuster are under contract beyond 2023, so if Boutte can stick around beyond his rookie season, he should have an opportunity to earn a real roster spot in 2024.

  If Boutte makes any impact at all as a rookie, that would be huge for him and the team. But this feels more like a long-term play and upside gamble. But an interesting one and something to watch over the next year.

  Click here for complete New England Patriots coverage at 985TheSportsHub.com.

  Matt Dolloff is a writer and podcaster for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Yell at him on Twitter @mattdolloff and follow him on Instagram @realmattdolloff. Check out all of Matt’s content here.

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