University of Northern Iowa defensive tackle Khristian Boyd, who grew up in the Kansas City area, recently visited the Kansas City Chiefs on a top-30 visit.
Long list of Top 30 visits for Northern Iowa IDL Khristian Boyd, a source said.
• Lions
• Saints
• Packers
• Chiefs
• Cardinals
• Colts
• Vikings
• Dolphins
• Bills
• Ravens
• Giants— Ryan Fowler (@_RyanFowler_) March 21, 2024
What is a “top-30 visit?”
Although the term implies that the visits are for the most coveted draft prospects, NFL teams are allowed a total of 30 in-person visits to facilities.
The Chiefs often use these visits for prospects likely to be available on Day 3 or as undrafted free agents since they will have more control over selecting them than the draft’s top players.
Last year, Kansas City’s eventual second and fifth-round selections — SMU wide receiver Rashee Rice and Stephen F. Austin edge rusher B.J. Thompson — visited the team facilities during the pre-draft process.
Background
Born in Topeka, Kansas, the 6-foot-2, 320-pound Boyd and his family eventually moved to Blue Springs, Missouri, where he played football at Blue Springs High School and earned All-State honors.
Coming out of high school, Boyd was a three-star recruit who was the 30th-ranked athlete in Missouri and the 156th-ranked defensive tackle in the nation.
He received offers from both Kansas University and the University of Central Florida but ultimately decided on Northern Iowa. There, he earned Associated Press FCS third-team All-American honors in 2023.
Boyd is a workout warrior; while he was still in high school, he posted a video of him squatting 500 pounds.
More recently, he set the school record at Northern Iowa during his pro day, benching 225 lbs. 38 times. If Boyd had been invited to the NFL Combine, this would have been the highest number by any defensive player and the second-highest at the combine overall.
Film evaluation
Boyd was a standout at the East-West Shrine Bowl, where Arrowhead Pride’s own Jared Sapp caught up with him and talked to ask him some questions. When we asked him if he thought playing at a smaller school would hinder him in the eyes of the talent evaluators, Boyd said that he didn’t think the level of competition would be an issue.
“I’ve always had that in the back of my head that it doesn’t really matter what school I came from,” Boyd explained. “I knew I could get to where I want to be. When it comes to heart— if I put in the work, the time, and the preparation— I know that I can hang with these dudes and I’m starting to show it.”
In the microcosm of his performance at the Shrine Bowl, it’s hard to argue with his logic, especially when there are clips like this one of him destroying Michigan guard Trente Jones.
Boyd’s play strength is the first thing that jumps off the tape when you watch him. The second thing you see is his quick reaction time off the snap. He’s not an elite athlete, but he maximizes his gifts. Boyd urgently gets into the blocker’s chest and utilizes his power in tight windows.
Boyd envisions himself as a well-rounded player who can pay the run and rush the passer.
“Definitely run-stopping,” he said. “I can pass rush pretty well too. I take on double teams pretty well. I just bring a different type of energy to the team because I love football.”
Blue Springs standout and UNI DT- Khristian Boyd:
Quick off the snap, gets into the guard’s chest with good pad height and drives him backward collapsing the pocket. pic.twitter.com/HMsZqhhm3w
— Rocky Magaña (a pleasant son of a buck) (@RockyMagana) March 25, 2024
I agree with him. He’s a pretty well-rounded prospect. He plays with good pad level and energy. He understands leverage and keeps balance, ending most plays when he’s not tackling a defender on his feet. But he does have his weaknesses.
At his height and weight, there is no getting around the fact he has exceptionally short arms for his size. It sometimes hinders him from disengaging from blockers, and if his initial pass rush move doesn’t work, he struggles to get free and counter.
Blue Springs standout and UNI DT- Khristian Boyd:
One limitation to Boyd’s game is his length. A compact and powerful frame with 31.5inch arms, struggles to keep linemen off of him consistently, and also needs to improve his plan B and countermoves. pic.twitter.com/ZkQqDwYELL
— Rocky Magaña (a pleasant son of a buck) (@RockyMagana) March 25, 2024
Despite struggling to counter at times, Boyd has a nice arsenal of pass-rush moves, utilizing the aforementioned bull rush, a cross chop, a bull slip and a pull slide, as seen in the clip above. He uses some of these to achieve greater success than others. He is a natural bull rusher who uses his pull slide with a decent frequency of success.
Blue Springs standout and UNI DT- Khristian Boyd:
Nice rip/pull on the guard here to gain leverage and work the angle around the blocker’s right shoulder. pic.twitter.com/SWI7OedetD
— Rocky Magaña (a pleasant son of a buck) (@RockyMagana) March 25, 2024
Beyond Boyd’s natural strength, the other thing that stands out in his tape is his motor. He’s not the type of player who gets washed out of a play and stands upright, giving up on the rep. He plays through the whistle and pursues the ball carrier downfield, even if they are in the second or third level of the defense.
How he fits with Kansas City
Boyd grew up a Chiefs fan and still classifies himself as a member of “Chiefs Kingdom.” He called the possibility of playing for the Chiefs a dream come true.
“Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve had dreams of playing for the Chiefs, and it’s starting to get closer, but, you know, maybe one day that could happen.”
Despite lacking elite explosiveness and length, there is a lot to like about his tape; he checks many boxes for what Kansas City needs. He is an all-around good player whose natural position is in the three-technique but could slot in as a one-technique in a pinch as a nice depth piece along the line.
I’d be happy with Boyd in the fifth round or later.