Overview
Position: Wide receiver
Height: 6’4”
Weight: 220 pounds
School: Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Combine Performance Data
40-yard dash: 4.42 seconds
Bench press: 12 reps
Vertical jump: 43.5 inches (tied for best among wide receivers)
Three-cone drill: 6.77 seconds (best among wide receivers)
Miles Boykin 2019 NFL Draft Profile
Miles Boykin might be the most disputed wide receiver this side of D.K. Metcalf. The Illinois native spent five seasons with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish but didn’t have a breakout season until his Senior year. Appearing in 13 games, Boykin recorded 59 receptions for 872 yards and eight touchdowns. Throughout the course of his collegiate career, Boykin recorded 77 receptions for 1,206 yards and 11 touchdowns. That said, he did earn Citrus Bowl MVP honors as a sophomore thanks to his three-catch, 102-yard, and one-touchdown performance.
Despite the relatively underwhelming production, Boykin set the world on fire with an otherworldly performance at the NFL Combine. As seen from the numbers above, the 6’4”, 220-pound wide receiver dominated the athletic testing in just about every way possible. By some measurements, his testing was even better than that of D.K. Metcalf.
Boykin grew up in Tinley Park, Illinois, a suburb outside of Chicago. Boykin’s athletic ability was on display from a young age, as the 2019 NFL Draft prospect won state Player of the Year honors as a senior in high school. Boykin pulled this off despite missing three games in his senior season.
Strengths
- physical freak who tested off the charts;
- fantastic at winning jump balls/contested catches;
- elite straight-line speed, especially considering his size;
- fantastic catch radius capable of putting a hand on anything thrown in his direction;
- never truly covered thanks to his innate leaping ability.
Weaknesses
- game film doesn’t align with his testing results;
- struggles to consistently gain separation;
- struggles to beat press coverage;
- will turn 23 midway through his rookie season;
- one-year wonder;
- struggles to adjust to balls in the air;
- unpolished route runner, although has the skills to dramatically improve in this regard.
NFL Comparison: Kelvin Benjamin, Kenny Golladay
Teams With Need At Position: San Francisco 49ers, Washington Redskins, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans
Projection: Rounds three-four
Bottom Line
Miles Boykin is a high-upside project who still has a long way to go before he reaches his ceiling. His ability to win jump balls and contested catches will give him a small NFL role from Day One, but he has the ability to be so much more than that. Boykin is a physical freak, boasting elite raw speed, quickness, and agility. However, these abilities have yet to translate to game production, as Boykin is an inconsistent route runner who struggles to gain separation on a regular basis.
Any team drafting Boykin should do so knowing that he’s still a few years away from being a finished product. Entering his age-23 season, that isn’t a good thing. With the right coaching and a bit of luck, Boykin has the chance to develop into a dependable, reliable starter on the outside. However, in the short term, Boykin’s catch radius and leaping ability can make him a dangerous red-zone weapon and jump ball threat.
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