This is what most Blather readers figured, some even picked the Bengals specifically. He was the 55th player drafted and went just about where he should of.
Here is the Trib’s take on this:
“I felt like I should have been (drafted) earlier, but it doesn’t matter,” he said. “Just take advantage of the opportunity.”
Boyd said he is eager to join Bengals star receiver A.J Green. “We can definitely be the top duo in the country,” he said.
Going to play for one of the Steelers’ AFC North rivals didn’t bother him. He said his supporters, many of whom spent Thursday and Friday night with him at the Omni, won’t desert him.
“At the end of the day, they are going to be on my side because they love me and care about me,” he said. “Everyone here who came to celebrate can come up there and watch me continue my legacy.”
Here is a bit of a blast from the past – a podcast by Kevin Gorman (who used to cover Pitt football along with Jerry DiPaola) of the Trib – he talks a bit about the draft.
The Pitt Media Dept has this:
PITTSBURGH–Tyler Boyd, the most productive receiver in school history, continued Pitt’s rich tradition in the NFL Draft by being selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round this evening.
With Boyd’s selection, Pitt has now had at least one player chosen in 15 of the last 17 drafts. Boyd is the first Panther to be drafted by the Bengals since linebacker Tom Tumulty in 1996.
“The Bengals have themselves an outstanding receiver in Tyler Boyd,” Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi said. “He is an excellent fit for Cincinnati and should be ready to make immediate contributions there. Our entire program is incredibly proud of Tyler and wish him the very best as he begins his NFL career.”
Boyd declared for the 2016 NFL Draft following his junior season. He was named a first-team All-ACC wide receiver by the coaches and media for the second consecutive year. Boyd was also a third-team All-America selection by Phil Steele.
Boyd finished the 2015 season with 91 catches for 926 yards (10.2 avg.) and six touchdowns in 12 games. He was also Pitt’s second-leading rusher with 349 yards on 40 carries (8.7 avg.). Boyd’s 91 catches rank second on Pitt’s single-season list, one shy of the school record held by all-time great Larry Fitzgerald (who had 92 in 2003).
The native of Clairton, Pa., established himself as one of the most productive offensive performers in Pitt history. Boyd finished his collegiate career as Pitt’s all-time leader in both receptions (254) and receiving yards (3,361). He finished second in career all-purpose yards (5,243), trailing only the legendary Tony Dorsett (7,117 from 1973-76).
The Media Dept also shares these links with us:
Please see pertinent links below regarding Tyler Boyd’s second-round selection by the Cincinnati Bengals in the NFL Draft.
Have a great evening!
E.J.
Pitt Release Web Link: Boyd to Cincinnati
Pitt Career Bio: Tyler Boyd
Bengals Release Web Link: Bengals fill WR slot with Boyd
All-Time Pitt NFL Draft: Panthers in the Pros
As is becoming more usual The Pitt News is having the best coverage of Pitt football lately – here is a nice piece with Boyd’s teammates and friends reacting to the draft news:
And because there are other sports than football in PGH here is a piece from my favorite Pittsburgh sportswriter (and all around great essayist) Mike Wysocki of the Pittsburgh City Paper talking about his watching a Pittsburgh Thunderbirds Ultimate Disc Frisbee game. It is a combination of soccer and football played with a disc and your hands… seriously – watch the video.
Hey – and read the article – its fun…
People have to try new things. It’s always been beyond my comprehension, for example, why people will not try a new food. The worst-case scenario is having an unpleasant taste in your mouth for two to four seconds. Although, I still will never try cottage cheese because it looks like it’s curdled and been regurgitated by a bird of prey.
But the try-new-things rule doesn’t just apply to food, it applies to watching new sports as well. My skepticism of Ultimate Disc Frisbee quickly vanished when I got to see the American Ultimate Disc League’s Pittsburgh Thunderbirds last season.
Watching guys throw a Frisbee around makes you think of un-athletic, dirty hippies who aren’t coordinated enough to play hacky sack. That preconception turns out to be ridiculous. Ultimate Disc is a thoroughly enjoyable sport played by athletes with an impressive set of skills. It’s almost like football with just long passes and without 400-pound men who are dosed up on painkillers. Every player is a quarterback, receiver and safety. The precision of the passes and the skill of the catches in a crowd of defenders becomes mesmerizing when you see it live.
Plus, I met the manager of the Pittsburgh Thunderbirds in a bar during the weekend and I told him I’d throw a plug in.
Not much comment on the Wilson-Stallings article. First time I remember anyone talking about a Pitt coach working on someone’s shot fundamentals.
I still think Wilson needs a lot of work on his ball handling. It will be different to have a guard that can get to the hoop.
I hope the other players are as happy with the new opportunity. Other than Nix everyone on this team can run and play in transition. Should be a lot of fun. Can only hope that it translates to wins.
They really need D-backs badly. This was a great year for corners. Hopefully Burns is the one. The other guy is a safety that played corner. Hopefully they are both good enough to start soon.
If they are the last pieces of the puzzle, the Steelers D could be back.
For the Steelers, it was always William Jackson III out of Houston who was snatched right out of their grasp by Cincinnati.
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“Yeah, I definitely (thought Pittsburgh was coming for me),” Jackson said. “I had dinner with them, and we had great chemistry. We talked about a lot of things, so I thought it was coming. But I’m happy to be a Cincinnati Bengal.”
Cincinnati Enquirer
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It looks like Cincy gets the final payback from the Burfict Game.
Settling for Burns instead of making a move to get Williams is going to HAUNT the Steelers for a long LONG time.
We thank you… and the Tyler Boyd family thanks you.
Projecting Boyd to eventually achieve All-Pro Status is simply based on his abilities as a Receiver.
Had it been another Team other than the Bengals, it might have been different.
But for now, this is where it begins and ends.
If it’s an O-Lineman you know Munchak is signing off on it.
All you need to know.
Well, then again they might get a token “B” for fulfilling needs.
Big event at the Peterson Events Center, if I’m not mistaken.
Things will be rolled out in phases after that as Tossing mentioned. I would assume football and hoops will be the first looks.
Colors will not be changing from our current blue and gold.
He is Zach Thomas REDUX.
Totally puzzled as to how he managed to last to the Seventh Round.
We shall see.
Go out and show the world that you should have been drafted JP, just not when the Browns play the Stillers though!
And if that’s not proof enough, how about the fact that Jackson is nearly a whole TENTH of a Second faster in the Forty.
I don’t know, there seems to be some hard evidence that Cincinnati really did succeed in snatching Pittsburgh’s FIRST choice at Corner.
Now, whether J3 is really better than AB… only time will tell.
I am not one on this blog to typically call contributors out, and I know you were only pointing out that some writer claimed TB was a 3rd or 4th round pick . . . . but honestly 4th round my big fat Italian rear end.
I know you want Pitt to be better and generally enjoy your posts, but it honestly seemed to me that your incredibly wrong assessment was mean spirited, unnecessary, and nonsensical.
The young man who except for one transgression which has been made by many including those on this blog has never been anything but a hard worker who tried to make Pitt better.
Your cheap and horribly mistaken cheap shots were over the top.
The bigger surprise for me is that WVCC had many players drafted and had a .500 team as well. Imagine how they would have done with legitimate coaches or elite ones. They got talent and couldn’t win. We won, with below average talent. Now we are getting better talent and better coaching. Exciting times ahead.
I won’t jump on upitt. He originally said round 5 and modified to round 3 r 4. So what! He was absolutely right when he said TB took plays off and is physically slight and not fast. That was no different than what the draftknicks said. To me, the draft was weak this year at so many positions and TB made the right choice coming out now. No dominators except for Elliot in my opinion.
I wish him well and I believe he will do well. I want all the Pitt kids to do well as it opens doors for Pitt with local recruits and national ones to follow.
Did Robert Foster play in the spring game? He is in trouble if he doesn’t see the field this year. Would love to see Pitt get a verbal or two soon.
He was the Sole LEGITIMATE Big-time Recruit headed to Pitt when the entire Program was at its LOWEST point.
Conner was coming in but with far less of the Fanfare as Boyd… and by the way as a D-End and not a future ACC Player of the Year Runningback. The “Golden Boy” from Clairton (to quote Reed) was the “Big BIG Get” that put Pitt and the new Head Coach Chryst on the map.
And to Boyd’s credit… he did not disappoint.
Do you have any idea how hard that is to come in as “The Man” and live up to the billing?
Seriously, give it some thought.
Trust me… Boyd is destined to be a VERY Good NFL Receiver and as I noted earlier an All Pro at least a year or two.
Which ain’t bad for a Kid from Clairton who was a 5,000 PLUS Yard Runningback for a High School that went 3 and O in PA Championship Games while he was there.
Tyler Boyd is TRULY Special.
Tyler Boyd deserves nothing but praise.
Boyds greatest skill is attacking the ball high and not waiting for it to drop into his arms. A skill lacking in many NFL receivers. Larry F is the absolute best at it.
He will be successful as long as he doesn’t get caught up with the many bad character players the bengals have on their roster.
Obviously, that makes Boyd’s selection in Round 2 a KEY component.
Then there’s this… which basically echoes the obvious.
“The addition of William Jackson III — a player with exceptional ball skills — not only made sense, it deprived the rival Steelers from the chance to take him one slot later,”
Mel Kiper Jr.
Down to about 4 months until Penn State.
I remember when I said about a year, about 10 months etc. etc..
Young people, you will never find, out of a million cliche’s, one that is more true, than
“wow, does time fly”, or “where does time go”.
Enjoy everyday!!!
