2023 NFL mock draft: College football is back with a loaded class

16. New England Patriots: Kayshon Boutte, WR, LSU

We’re going to need to see the New England Patriots make some significant strides on the offensive side of the ball in 2022 to truly believe that they are going to be alright in the post-Josh McDaniels era. The Patriots don’t have the most intimidating selection of wide receivers in the NFL and that is a position group that desperately needs investment going forward.

Getting Kayshon Boutte at this juncture of the draft would be a huge win. Mac Jones can distribute the ball and get it out quickly, on time, and on target. The question is — do the Patriots have enough talent at receiver to truly be a balanced and dynamic offense in a loaded AFC?

Boutte is a star after the catch and has really stepped up for the LSU offense over the last two years as the team has struggled since their unreal 2019 championship run. He’s getting the coveted no. 7 jersey for LSU this year. We’ll see if he can follow in the footsteps of those before him.

17. Tennessee Titans: Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame

Michael Mayer has been a star in his first two years at Notre Dame. He caught 71 passes for over 800 yards and seven touchdowns last year for the Fighting Irish and has continually proven himself as a receiver. Not only that, but Notre Dame has consistently churned out solid, reliable NFL tight ends almost annually at this point.

The Tennessee Titans overhauled their receiving corps in 2022, including both wide receiver and tight end. In addition to trading away AJ Brown, they upgraded at tight end by giving former big-money free agent Austin Hooper a shot. I don’t think Hooper is going to be a long-term fixture for the Titans so they will likely need to find someone who will be, or could be.

Michael Mayer could very well be that guy. At 6-foot-4, 250 pounds, he’s got great size for the position and is a weapon both after the catch and in the red zone.