Luke Easterling of Draft Wire recently made a two-round mock for the 2023 NFL draft. Two LSU Tigers made the list, and both of them are in his projected first round.
Kayshon Boutte and BJ Ojulari are the two guys that made the list. First up is Boutte, who Easterling has going to the Carolina Panthers with the No. 7 pick in the draft. Boutte is a preseason First Team All-American and is expected to be one of the top wideouts in the country this fall after he missed the second half of the 2021 season with a broken ankle.
Here’s what Easterling says about the pick.
Obviously, this is assuming the quarterback situation gets handled, or the Panthers wait and see what they have in Matt Corral before taking another passer here. Whoever is throwing the passes, he’ll need more weapons, and a complete playmaker like Boutte would be the perfect fit.
Like Easterling stated, if the Panthers can find ‘their guy’ at quarterback. Boutte could come in and be wide receiver No. 1 for the Panthers next season. He has that kind of ability.
He is wearing No. 7 for the Tigers this year for a reason. In my opinion, Boutte is the top receiver in the 2023 NFL draft, and I don’t think it’s even close.
Meanwhile, Easterling has Ojulari heading to the Miami Dolphins at pick No. 25.
Jaelan Phillips has a promising future, but the Dolphins need another young, explosive edge rusher to pair him with. Ojulari racked up seven sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss as a sophomore in 2021, and is primed for even more this year.
What more can be said about Ojulari and what he means to the Tigers? He is a leader on and off the field. He is a captain. He isn’t ‘just another brick in the wall,’ he is the wall. If he stays healthy all season, I think he may even go higher than No. 25 in the draft.
He might be the best linebacker in the entire 2023 class.
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