Kayshon Boutte to Wear No. 7

Kayshon Boutte is back and will be rocking a new number in 2022.

Boutte, LSU’s best player and one of the best wide receivers in the country, was chosen to wear the coveted No. 7 jersey. If you’re new around these parts, 7 has taken on a special meaning with the LSU football program. It’s typically worn by LSU’s top playmaker dating back to when Patrick Peterson passed the number down to Tyrann Mathieu. Since then other players to wear 7 include Leonard Fournette, DJ Chark, Grant Delpit, and JaCoby Stevens.

“7 is bigger than football,” Boutte said on his Instagram. “It’s about leadership, encouragement, accountability, and discipline. I had to grow into 7 to understand it already had the characteristics that I was striving for. To be chose to wear this legendary number is an honor.”

“I’m excited to get back on the field with my brothers and work all season. To do it in the number 7, is a true blessing and follow in the footsteps of some of the greatest players in LSU history, is an honor.”

Boutte was well on his way to All-American honors and a possible Biletnikoff Award in 2021 before an ankle injury against Kentucky ended his season in early October. Despite playing only six games, Boutte still ended the season leading LSU in both receiving yards (509) and touchdowns (9).

Boutte has scored 14 touchdowns in just 16 career games. He’s caught 83 passes for 1,244 yards in his career and as a freshman set the SEC single game receiving record with 308 against Ole Miss.

LSU has had bad luck with its past two No. 7s. Ja’Marr Chase was going to wear 7 in 2020 but opted out prior to the season beginning; Derek Stingley Jr. wore it in 2021 but a foot injury limited Stingley to just three games. For what it’s worth (roughly tens of millions of dollars in their cases) both Chase and Stingley still wound up going in the top-five in their respective drafts. Here’s hoping Boutte has a healthy 2022 season and parlays it into a prosperous draft pick come April.