Defensive Tackle Khristian Boyd May Be An NFL Draft Steal For The New Orleans Saints

An analysis of Saints sixth-round choice Khristian Boyd and how he could be a defensive steal

Credit:© Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports

New Orleans Saints DT Bryan Bresee made a significant impact after being drafted in the first round of last year's draft out of Clemson. Bresee finished his rookie campaign with 4.5 sacks, 13 pressures, seven tackles for loss, and six tipped passes.

While Bresee looks like a potential perennial Pro Bowler, the Saints still need more quality players in their interior rotation. Nathan Shepherd is solid, both against the run and as a pass rusher. Khalen Saunders did little on the defensive side in his first year with the team. New Orleans also lost run-stopper Malcolm Roach in free agency.

The Saints passed on several defensive tackles in the second and early in the third day of the NFL Draft. However, New Orleans might have ultimately found a late, sixth-round gem with the 199th overall selection from a smaller school where they have some familiarity.

Khristian Boyd, DT - Northern Iowa

Northern Iowa defensive tackle Khristian Boyd (99) / Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette

A former teammate of Trevor Penning at Northern Iowa, Khristian Boyd was a highly productive player for all of his five seasons with the Panthers. Over that span, he collected 13 sacks and recorded an impressive 60 QB pressures. He then held up well in postseason performances against a higher level of competition.

Boyd is pure power, capable of locking down a nose tackle spot but with enough of a pass rush for 3-technique. He has a relatively compact frame and plays with great leverage to maximize his impressive strength. Commanding double-teams on most snaps, he still had the power to consistently push into backfields.

Setting a formidable base, Boyd is nearly immovable at the point of attack and clogs inside rushing lanes. He has surprising explosion at the snap, but maintains good upper body mechanics and technique throughout a rep.

As a pass rusher, Boyd routinely collapses pockets and gets in the face of a quarterback even against multiple blockers. He has good recognition of run blocking and shows a decent straight-line burst to the ball in the backfield.

Northern Iowa Panthers defensive tackle Khristian Boyd (99) stops a running play against the Iowa State Cyclones / USA TODAY Sports

Boyd doesn't move well laterally and won't be a factor in pursuit. As a result, he was often pushed past a misdirection play or nullified by moving pass pockets. He lacks counter moves as a pass rusher, and can be guilty of hand-fighting with blockers too long during a play.

Boyd simply overpowered blockers at Northern Iowa. He'll need to improve his lateral quickness and add counter moves at the next level. His ability to expand that part of his game will determine whether he can be a draft steal or a guy that barely hangs on to a roster spot, at best.

As a sixth-round choice, Khristian Boyd won't be expected to earn a starting role. Statistically, the odds are a little against him even earning an active roster spot. However, Boyd offers viable upside as a power pass rusher.

More importantly, Boyd is a natural run-stopper that can clog lanes and collapse interior blocking. If he can accomplish that, he'd free up the other New Orleans defenders for some one-on-one matchups and become a valuable member of the rotation up front.