re: If Nabors was draft eligible, do you think he’d currently be graded higher than Boutte?

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Why will boutte thrive in the nfl over Nabors? Just curious of your thought process.

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Because he remembers footage of Boutte two years ago. And that’s what sticks in folks’ minds.

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Apparently I am not even needed to answer the question directed to me, but I’ll give it a shot. Yes, I can remember a Boutte before the injury and he was amazing. You, on the other hand, are blinded by recency bias. Another year of recovery and he’s going to be even better.

As for the reasons, Nabors is going to play wide in the NFL. To be a star at wideout you need elite speed and world class hands. Jefferson, Chase, Moss, etc. Nabors is really good, but he is not on that level. He is more like Terrance Marshall than Chase or Jefferson. Nabors is a first read receiver in this offense and Jayden is a first read QB. He was often one read and run. Even with far more opportunities (79 targets) he has only produced one TD.

Boutte is going to play slot in the league. It takes far less talent to be elite in the slot. Cupp is not on Chase’s or Jefferson’s level. He would not be great at wideout. He is one of the best WRs in the league when in the slot, though. Also, Boutte has been handcuffed because he is not a first read receiver in the slot with Daniels. Again, Daniels has often been a first read and run quarterback, eliminating Boutte from much of the game-plan, unnaturally. In the NFL every QB is capable and does make multiple reads on every play, often pre-snap.. He’s going to get more opportunities at an easier position and has at least equal talent, likely more than Nabors from a route running and position perspective. With far fewer targets (62), he has produced the same number of touchdowns as Nabors this year. He’s going to get more opportunities in the NFL from the slot and going to be more productive from a talent perspective in the NFL than he was able to be this year for reasons outside of his control. He also has better intangibles, is bigger and faster.