Dallas Cowboys draft target – Kayshon Boutte, WR (why he makes sense)

We have talked quite a bit about the need at wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys and with the profile of Zay Flowers, we get to a similar player in Kayshon Boutte. Boutte has similar playmaking ability, but a little more size.

With a potential need for someone who can play both inside and out, Boutte gives more flexibility than Flowers in that regard. However, some of the issues that could have Flowers falls, could force Boutte to fall. Then there is the off-field incident that teams will have to research.

Boutte isn’t going to be the fastest wide receiver in the draft, but his play speed and ability in the open field are undeniable when watching him. He still has the speed to break one at any point, and his ability to break tackles through his leg power as much as agility. His ability to play inside and out would allow the Cowboys to use him and CeeDee Lamb in multiple alignments to force favorable matchups.

Kayshon Boutte has a lot of traits the Dallas Cowboys are looking for at wide receiver, but he doesn’t come without questions both on and off the field.

Boutte leaps off the screen with the ball in his hands. His ability to work in space and pick up yards in bunches is something the Cowboys need to complement the playmaking ability of Lamb. He can line up anywhere and with quick acceleration, he can get past defenders quickly to stretch the defense. When given a free release Boutte works well into his routes, although his routes aren’t as refined as some others in this draft.

The big on-field concerns with Boutte stem from his release against press coverage. When a defensive back is played up on him, he can react slowly which allows a defender to get inside of him and throw his route off.

He does have some concentration drops and due to a smaller-than-expected catch radius doesn’t always win contested catches at the rate you would like. He has the ability but achieving the ceiling will be something that might concern teams.

Boutte has the ability to be a catch-and-run threat, but unless he can work on his release he could be a solid, but not great receiver. His ceiling will intrigue most teams and how he performs leading up to the draft could make him a viable option in the second round.

Should teams not like what they uncover about the off-field reports, he could tumble into the third round, but based on skill many feel the second round is where he should fall.