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Going into the final stretch in 2020, LSU freshman wide receiver Kayshon Boutte emerged as a dynamic weapon for the Tigers’ offense. In the final three games, Boutte compiled 527 yards and four touchdowns against Alabama, Florida, and Ole Miss.
With Kayshon Boutte done for the year with an ankle injury, they need another freshman receiver or receivers to step up. There are plenty of options with Brian Thomas Jr, Deion Smith, and Malik Nabers. However, it could be the tight end-wide receiver hybrid Jack Bech who could take advantage of the opportunity.
Against the Florida Gators on Saturday, the receivers didn’t have to carry much of the load with Ty Davis-Price breaking the will of the defense. The team ran counter 14 times for an average of 14.7 yards per attempt according to Pro Football Focus.
Bech has been one of the top receivers on the team this year. The freshman out of St. Thomas More has 24 receptions for 292 yards. He provides a matchup nightmare for defenders and has the ability to play tight end or any of the wide receiver spots on the field. Recently he was named as a freshman All-American as an all-purpose player for The Athletic.
He was also named to 247Sports midseason freshman All-American team at wide receiver joining Mario Williams of Oklahoma and Xavier Worthy of Texas. Fellow freshman Maason Smith was once again named along with Bech.
What 247Sports Says…
Although it’s been a tumultuous year on and off the field in Baton Rouge, there have been some promising developments in LSU’s receiver room. At the front of those developments is true freshman receiver Jack Bech. Bech, a Louisiana native, flipped from Vanderbilt to LSU before signing his name on the dotted line with the Tigers last signing day. The former St. Thomas More standout has been a dependable target for quarterback Max Johnson this season and gives the Tigers another playmaking threat in the middle of the field for years to come.
The coaches and players have been high on the freshman. Boutte recently said if you throw the ball to Bech 10 times, you expect him to catch it 10 times. PFF has Bech as the No. 2 graded WR on the team, just 0.5 points behind Boutte.
Bech after the catch is more dangerous than some would think, as a tight end hybrid you don’t expect a lot of yards after the catch. He averages 7.0 yards after the catch for a total of 167 yards, only Boutte has more. With no clear-cut No. 1 option behind Boutte, it looks like it could be time for Bech to prove that he can be a problem for years to come. Bech has already proven to be a headache for defenders.
