Former Pittsburgh wide receiver Tyler Boyd was a highly touted prospect coming out Clairton High School. He was awarded U.S. Army All-American honors and was a two-time Class A Player of the Year for his 5,755 yards and 117 touchdowns (Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League record). Boyd played running back, wide receiver, quarterback, punt returner and defensive back in his four varsity seasons, with a finishing record of 63-1. He was rated the no. 8 overall prospect by Scout and no. 6 by Scout. At Pittsburgh in 2013, Boyd was the country's most productive freshman, totaling 85 catches for 1,174 yards and seven touchdowns. He earned second-team All-America accolades from SI.com and was named First-Team All-ACC as a receiver by the coaches and media as a sophomore in 2014.
Prior to the start of the 2015 season, Boyd was charged with a DUI leading to Pat Narduzzi suspending him for Pitt's home opener. Boyd went on to declare for the NFL Draft following his junior campaign. He recorded 91 catches for 926 yards and six touchdowns throughout the course of 12 games.
The Basics
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 197 lbs
Arm Length: 32"
Hand: 9 3/4"
40 Yard Dash: 4.58 sec
Bench Press Reps: 11
Vertical: 34"
Broad Jump: 119"
3 Cone Drill: 6.90 sec
20 Yard Shuttle: 4.35 sec
How He Compares To Other Wide Receivers:
Demarcus Ayers, WR, Houston (5'9", 182 lbs): 4.72 40 yard dash, 33" vertical
Leonte Carroo, WR, Rutgers (5'11", 211 lbs): 4.49 40 yard dash, 35" vertical
Ricardo Louis, WR, Auburn (6'2", 215 lbs): 4.43 40 yard dash, 38" vertical
Rashard Higgins, WR, Colorado St. (6'1", 196 lbs): 4.64 40 yard dash, 32" vertical
The Rundown
Positives
- Targeted 124 times or more in each of three seasons and has an excellent feel for finding soft spots in zone defenses
- Tracks the deep ball over the shoulder very well and can climb the ladder and take the ball away from defensive backs
- Exceptionally strong hands and has the ability to reel in tosses away from his body - retains good body control and poses an intriguing red-zone threat
- Savvy, fluid route runner with a complete route tree in his resume
- Above-par run vision after the catch and hard to bring down when he gets in stride - knows how to read and set up blocks
- Adept footwork at the line of scrimmage to beat presses and works back to the football with force and purpose on stop routes
- Has kick and punt return experience
- Plays with a fiery passion and loves the game of football
Negatives
- Not electric or creative after the catch - won't make someone miss in the open field and take it the distance
- Pedestrian long-speed and does not present a bulging vertical threat - minimal explosion off the line of scrimmage
- Slender frame and not a bulldozer after the catch, often being brought to ground by arm tackles
- Not much of a run-blocker and only benched pressed 225-pounds 11 times at the NFL Combine
- DUI charge in June of 2015
Conclusion
Although Boyd may not be a premier wide receiver in the NFL, he has all the tools to be a fine complement. I have been quite fond of Boyd for the past three years and throughout my film assessments of the former Panther, I was nothing but impressed by his silky-smooth stride, strong hands and very crisp route running. While his lean frame and lack of elite physical skills are big down-sides (reasons why he cannot carry a passing game at the next level), Boyd has a high-ceiling and provides versatility instantly. His development of creating separation from defensive backs continued during his collegiate career and should continue to escalate in the NFL. Chip Kelly may have fun sticking this guy in a plethora of different formations and scenarios (H-back, end arounds, reverses).
Stats to Know: Dropped just 10 of the 182 catchable passes thrown his way between 2014 and 2015 (Pro Football Focus)
Player Comparison: Jarvis Landry
Draft Projection: 2nd