One name that has been drawing a ton of buzz as we enter college football season is that of Pittsburgh Panthers junior wide receiver Tyler Boyd. With great size at 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, his work on the field has turned a lot of heads and, of course, has put him in the 2016 NFL Draft conversation.
And Boyd may have just gotten a key endorsement prior to the season. N
FL.com’s Lance Zierlein went so far as to compare Boyd to another great Pitt Panthers receiver: eight-time Pro Bowler Larry Fitzgerald.
“Boyd can go up and compete for the the 50/50 throws as well as anyone out there, but he needs to show maturity and leadership qualities,” Zierlein wrote. “Boyd won’t post the same numbers Larry Fitzgerald did while at Pitt, but his talent is in Fitzgerald’s zip code.”
Though it may seem a bit backhanded, Zierlein’s comparison is not far off.
In just two seasons, Boyd has 163 catches for 2,435 yards and 15 touchdowns. Fitzgerald spent the same amount of time at Pitt before being drafted third overall by the Arizona Cardinals in 2004, and had 161 receptions for 2,677 yards and 34 scores. Sure, Boyd won’t reel in as many touchdowns, but he is at least equal in talent to Fitzgerald regarding ability to run routes and make catches.
Needless to say, Boyd is going to be a player to watch in the 2015 season as the draft buzz around him gets louder.
Pitt opens the season at home against Youngstown State on Sept. 5.
Can’t get enough of Campus Sports? Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to stay updated with the latest news and exclusive giveaways!
*Featured Photo (above) credit to USA TODAY Sports
