Getty Miles Boykin of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish celebrates a touchdown.
Heading into the NFL Combine with his draft stock sitting somewhere in the third or fourth round, Miles Boykin needed to put on a show in Indianapolis to help bump him up the boards. Boykin definitely put on a show as he ran a blistering 4.42 40-yard dash (he’s 6’4″ 220) and showed off some impressive leaping ability in the vertical (43.5) as well as broad jump (11-foot-8).
Boykin had a relatively quiet career at Notre Dame prior to his junior season. 872 of his 1206 career receiving yards came in his last year for the Irish along with 8 of his 11 touchdowns. Despite lacking the overall production that most NFL draft picks have, Boykin showed off his elite physical tools repeatedly against inferior college defenders. Able to beat slower defenders with his straight-line speed or elevate and go over the top of defenders, Boykin has the physical skills to beat defenders in a variety of ways.
Those physical tools make him a tantalizing NFL prospect despite his deficiencies. Especially after teams got a first-hand look at how big and fast Boykin is, he should find himself jumping up draft boards across the league.
Miles Boykin Recent NFL Mock Drafts
Currently, most NFL Mock Drafts have bumped Boykin up to a second or third round prospect after his strong showing at the combine. ESPN’s Mel Kiper has Boykin going as high as the second round and with the 52nd overall pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The lowest Boykin is falling is 86th overall to the Bears in Pro Football Focus’ latest mock draft. With his lowest grade falling in the third round, Boykin’s floor has risen by a full round since the combine. A player with Boykin’s raw physical attributes is extremely rare and despite his raw skill set and lack of consistent production, teams should be more than willing to spend an early round flier on a prospect with incredible upside.
Miles Boykin NFL Draft Projections
For all the good that comes with Boykin, he still has a long ways to go in order to be an impact player at the next level, which keeps him out of the first round. Boykin isn’t the best route-runner and visibly struggled in press coverage situations. He should see a hefty dose of press coverage at the line in the league and will need to find a way to beat stronger and more aggressive defensive backs consistently in the NFL.
Boykin has the size at 6’4″ 220 to bully smaller defensive backs but needs to learn how to use his size and strength advantage on the field. There isn’t any reason to think that he won’t figure this out one day but it will likely take Boykin a year or two to make a big impact in the NFL.
Projected to go in the second or third round, there are a number of teams looking for help at the wide receiver position that could use a player like Boykin. Buffalo, picking at 40 and 74 could possibly be a decent long-term fit. While the Bills have struggled to develop receivers in years past, Boykin wouldn’t be thrust into a “win now” situation and would likely see plenty of action in games alongside a young and rebuilding franchise. Josh Allen is the type of quarterback who should benefit from having a massive and supremely athletic outside receiver/safety net, so the pairing could actually be mutually beneficial. Although Buffalo would likely not want to pull the trigger at 40, they should be more than willing to pick up Boykin at 74 if he’s still around.
Miles Boykin’s Best Fits Include Bears, Redskins
If the Chicago Bears can hold out hope that Boykin falls to the third round, considering they don’t have a second, he’d be an interesting fit. There’s a decent chance Chicago could look to address other areas of need before wideout, but Boykin would be a value selection in round three of the draft at No. 88 overall.
While the Bears aren’t the most likely landing spot, the Washington Redskins could be another team to watch. The Redskins select at No. 46 in the second round, along with No. 77 and 97 in round three, but there are a number of teams ahead of them who have major needs at wideout. If Boykin were to drop to No. 46, he could be a name to watch, or even a trade-back candidate for Washington.
Virtually each of the teams in the top-10 of the second round could be in the mix for Boykin potentially.
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