[autotag]Kayshon Boutte[/autotag] (No. 6), [autotag]BJ Ojulari[/autotag] (No. 25), and [autotag]Ali Gaye[/autotag] (No. 30) all made ESPN’s Todd McShay’s list of the preseason top 50 prospects for the 2023 NFL draft.
In two seasons, Boutte has reeled in 83 receptions for 1,244 yards and 14 touchdowns with his longest touchdown reception being a 64-yarder. Boutte is widely regarded as the No. 1 wide receiver for the 2023 NFL Draft. If he can stay healthy, look for him to have an incredible season for the Tigers.
Boutte lines up at all three receiver spots in LSU’s offense, and he is sudden and explosive in all his movements. He consistently generates separation with his sharp cutting ability, outstanding speed and great acceleration. Then Boutte attacks the football aggressively in the air with confident and strong hands. He shows great focus, times his jumps well and can contort his body in the air. He is a big-time vertical threat who chews up cushion in a flash, but Boutte is also smooth and elusive after the catch. In 2021, he picked up 509 yards and nine touchdowns on 38 catches after missing most of the season with a leg injury.
In two seasons, Ojulari has 70 total tackles with 17 of them being tackles for loss and 11 sacks. Ojulari is a leader on and off the field for the Tigers as he sets a great example anywhere he goes. Those intangibles are what have contributed to him being donned with the legendary No. 18 for this fall.
Ojulari shows great take-off burst and good bend, and he puts a lot of pressure on opposing offensive tackles with his change-of-direction suddenness. But his speed-to-power moves frequently stall, and he needs to improve his lower-body strength to drive opponents back into the pocket. Against the run, Ojulari has great range, but his pads rise too quickly, and he lacks the lower-body strength to consistently set a hard edge. Ojulari had 7.0 sacks in 2021, and his 45 pressures ranked 19th in the nation.
In two seasons, Gaye has 51 total tackles with 12 of them being tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. Gaye only appeared in four games last season after suffering an injury against Kentucky. [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] should be glad to have him back as an anchor for the defensive line.
A native of Gambia, Gaye moved to the United States at age 12 and didn’t start playing football until eighth grade. He has a quick first step to put pressure on opposing offensive tackles and long arms to keep blockers off his pads. He should continue to improve his effectiveness on speed-to-power moves with increased strength and experience. Limited to four starts last season because of an upper-body injury, Gaye had 2.5 sacks. Against the run, Gaye is at his best in backside pursuit or when he’s uncovered and can flat-out chase.
After putting 10 prospects into the draft this year, the Tigers should have another solid class with several potential first-round picks after Kelly’s first campaign.
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