Spruce Derden-USA TODAY Sports
At 6’3 and 310 pounds, defensive tackle Josh Boyd is not one to be taken lightly.
During Boyd’s junior year at Philadelphia High School, he had a total of 154 tackles and 8.0 sacks. His numbers slipped slightly during his senior year there, with 112 tackles and 6.0 sacks, but still the college scholarship offers lined up. The U. S. Army All-American nixed offers from the likes of Alabama, Auburn, LSU and Tennessee to join the ranks of the Mississippi State Bulldogs.
The exhibition of natural ability continued into his college years, with Boyd earning his way into a starting position even before the end of his freshman season. Five was his lucky number that season. In week five, he had five tackles against Georgia Tech; he also had one stop in each of the last five games of the season. As was the case with his high school career, his junior year was his best (51 tackles and 4.5 sacks). The slide in numbers for his senior year (33 tackles and 1.5 sacks) is sadly ironic because he chose to forgo the NFL Draft after his junior year in the hopes of improving his numbers for better draft position this time around.
Unquestionably, depth is needed in the Atlanta Falcons defense. Boyd is a hard hitter who is quick off the draw while preserving control over his focus. On the downside, Boyd leaves a lot to be desired as far as pass rushing goes. Is this enough of a negative for the Falcons to pass him over in the draft? Absolutely not. With proper coaching and the inclination to work hard, the pass rush know-how can come.
If this young man is still available when the Falcons are on the clock, the selection should be clear.
Leigh Allen is an NFL Atlanta Falcons writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow her on Twitter, on Facebook, and on Google+.
