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UNI’s Khristian Boyd selected by New Orleans Saints in sixth round of 2024 NFL Draft

Boyd is fourth Panther to be drafted in last four years

John Steppe

Apr. 27, 2024 4:03 pm

Northern Iowa Panthers defensive lineman Khristian Boyd (99) poses for a portrait on University of Northern Iowa football media day on Friday, Aug. 18, 2023, at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa. (Geoff Stellfox/The Gazette)

IOWA CITY — Another player will go from the UNI-Dome to the NFL.

Northern Iowa defensive lineman Khristian Boyd was the No. 199 overall pick in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft on Saturday.

The 6-foot-2, 329-pound defensive lineman overcame a lack of NFL Combine invitation on his way to being a sixth-round selection. He had an impressive showing at UNI’s pro day, doing 38 reps on the bench press.

Boyd was an Associated Press FCS third-team All-American in 2023 after starting every game and recording 6.5 tackles for loss, including 3.5 sacks.

Boyd is the fourth Panther drafted in the last four years. The three others — Trevor Penning, Spencer Brown and Elerson Smith — also were either offensive or defensive linemen.

Comments: john.steppe@thegazette.com

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