Tyler Alexander Boyd (born November 15, 1994) is an American football wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Pittsburgh, and was selected by the Bengals in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft.
Early years
Boyd attended Clairton High School in Clairton, Pennsylvania, where he finished his high school football career ranking among the most productive performers in Western Pennsylvania history. He set a WPIAL record with 117 career touchdowns and finished as the fifth-leading rusher in WPIAL annals with 5,755 yards. He played diverse roles (running back, wide receiver, quarterback, defensive back, and punt returner) for Clairton, which went 48–0 in his three years as a starter and 63–1 (.984) in his four varsity seasons and won four WPIAL and four PIAA Class A titles. As a senior, Boyd rushed for 2,584 yards and 43 touchdowns, had 295 yards receiving on just 13 catches and led the WPIAL in scoring with 51 total touchdowns and 345 points. Boyd was selected to play in the Big 33 Football Classic (Western Pennsylvania vs. Eastern Ohio) and was named the game's MVP after accounting for five touchdowns (91-yard kick return, 68-yard halfback option pass, four-yard run and scoring catches of 16 and five yards). Boyd also played basketball at Clairton, helping lead the Bears to the WPIAL Class A title game and the PIAA playoffs as a senior, and was a baseball letterman as well.
Following his senior season, Boyd was selected to play in the 2013 U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio's Alamodome, where he announced his decision to attend the University of Pittsburgh during NBC's live telecast. He was named to the Rivals 250 (No. 103) and ESPN 300 (No. 165) national prospect lists. He was rated as the No. 6 overall prospect in the state of Pennsylvania by Rivals.com and No. 8 by Scout.com, as well as the nation's No. 12 wide receiver according to both.
College career
Freshman season (2013) In 2013 as a true freshman, Boyd was the nation's most productive freshman receiver, setting Pitt freshman records for receptions with 85 and receiving yards with 1,174, both of which were previously held by Larry Fitzgerald (who had 69 catches for 1,005 yards in 2002). He had five 100-yard receiving games, topping Fitzgerald's freshman school-record total of four, and also set the ACC record for receptions as a freshman, topping the mark held by Clemson's Sammy Watkins (82 catches in 2011).
Boyd was named ACC Rookie of the Week, 247Sports National True Freshman of the Week, and Athlon Sports National Co-Freshman of the Week for his performance in Pitt's 58–55 win at Duke, where he had eight catches for 154 yards (19.3 avg.) and a career-high three touchdowns. In a 49–27 win against New Mexico, he compiled 134 receiving yards on six catches (22.3 avg.), including a dazzling 34-yard touchdown grab in the back of the end zone on the final play of the first half; he also rushed for a 33-yard score against the Lobos, earning ACC Receiver of the Week and 247Sports National True Freshman of the Week honors for his performance. Boyd was known for making several highlight reel plays because of his hands and awareness for the sideline that helped him being selected All-ACC by the league's media (second team) and coaches (third team) as well as a Freshman All-American by Athlon Sports, CollegeFootballNews.com, Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), Phil Steele, Sporting News, 247Sports, and ECAC Offensive Rookie of the Year. Boyd capped the 2013 season with a magnificent performance in the 2013 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl, compiling 242 all-purpose yards to help the Panthers defeat Bowling Green, 30–27; he had eight catches for a career-high 173 yards (21.6 avg.) and added a spectacular 54-yard punt return for a touchdown in the bowl victory. Boyd's receiving yardage against the Falcons set a Pitt bowl record, surpassing the 36-year-old mark of 163 set by Gordon Jones in the 1977 Gator Bowl against Clemson, while his punt return touchdown was Pitt's first since Darrelle Revis had a 73-yarder against West Virginia in 2006. Boyd's postseason performance earned him USA TODAY All-Bowl Team recognition.