Patriots Pair Credits College Bond for Win Over Saints

While New England Patriots receiver Kayshon Boutte is being heralded as the proverbial “homecoming king” for his performance in the team’s Week 6 win over the New Orleans Saints, he is not the only Louisiana product to have enjoyed his recent trip to the Big Easy.

Pats’ starting left tackle Will Campbell — the team’s fourth overall selection in April’s draft — played his college football for the LSU Tigers from 2022-24. During the 2022 season he was Boutte’s teammate.

Accordingly, the pair shared a bond which extended from Baton Rouge to southern New England.

“We played together when I was [at LSU] so we already kinda had that bond,” Boutte told reporters after the Pats’ 25-19 win at Caesars Superdome. “Even throughout last year, he was texting me telling me, 'Please draft me here.' He wanted to be here. He’s a great guy, great energy. I love it.”

Arguably the top offensive lineman in this year’s draft class, Campbell joined the Pats with quite an impressive resume. The 21-year-old was a first-team 2023 All-SEC football team selection. In 2024, Campbell won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy as the top lineman in the SEC and was a consensus first team All-American.

Therefore, it came as little surprise that the Monroe native hosted nearly 60 friends and family in attendance — all of which who provided loud cheers when he hit the field. Campbell, in turn, held up his end of the bargain — anchoring an offensive line which allowed only a single, one-yard sack of quarterback Drake Maye against the Saints. Still, the 6’6” 319-pound Pats’ rookie realizes that there is always room for improvement heading into Week 7 and beyond.

“I think we did fine. There’s a lot to clean up,” Campbell said postgame. “It didn’t go how we wanted it to in the second half, but we were still able to get the win. That’s what matters. It’s like coach says, it’s a good feeling when you feel like you have to correct a lot and still get a win. That means you’re not scratching the surface yet. We just have to go in, make the corrections, get better, fix what we did wrong, and just get ready for next week.”

Much like his college-turned-pro teammate, Boutte also performed at a high level for his hometown crowd. The Pats’ third-year receiver proved himself to be an explosive big-play threat. At 6’0, 195-pounds he possesses a sizable frame to make him tough to bring down after the catch. He also has an inherent speed to be elusive when changing direction. In fact, his ability to adjust his body to make contested catches.

Boutte’s much-improved route running made him one of Maye’s most-targeted weapons this weekend at Caesars Superdome. When New England needed a play, the LSU product delivered. He finished the day with an impressive five catches for 93 yards and two touchdowns.

New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte (9) shakes hands with Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels. — Aug 6, 2025; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte (9) and offensive tackle Will Campbell (66) shake hands with Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) after training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

In contrast to Campbell, Boutte needed to take a longer, tougher road to earn his spot in professional football. As a true freshman for the LSU Tigers in 2020, Boutte developed into one of the most promising receivers in the nation, compiling 735 yards on 45 catches with five touchdowns in 10 games. Through five games in his sophomore season, he had already eclipsed his previous year's touchdown total, while being well on his way to shattering his collegiate career-highs in receptions and receiving yards.

Unfortunately, Boutte suffered a season-ending broken ankle in 2021 while attempting to complete an acrobatic catch out of bounds in the Tigers Oct. 9 matchup with the Kentucky Wildcats. The injury caused him to miss the remaining seven games of the season; ending what had started as a promising campaign with 38 receptions for 509 yards and nine touchdowns. Boutte subsequently sat out the spring while recovering from two surgeries to repair the injury. He finished his final season with LSU having caught only two touchdowns in 11 total games.

Still, both Boutte and Campbell have enough fond recollections of their time at LSU to forge a new bond as Patriots teammates. From Boutte’s wearing the prestigious number 7 at LSU [laundry typically reserved for the program's top playmaker] to Campbell wearing a number 7 patch [signifying his leadership role on the team] for the Tigers, this connection born on the Bayou appears poised to bolster the Patriots’ offense for the foreseeable future.

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