97 days remain until the 2025 season begins for the Saints, so in the meantime, here is a preview of defensive tackle Khristian Boyd, who happens to wear the number.
Khristian Boyd's role with the Saints
Boyd, who was drafted out of Northern Iowa in 2024 at pick #199 (acquired in the C.J. Gardner-Johnson trade), has carved out a small role for himself on the roster despite only appearing in six games. In those games, he played just 74 snaps and made three tackles.
As the Saints transition into a new defense and Boyd has a year under his belt, there is room for him to grow his role. He's 320 pounds, making him the fourth-heaviest player in the defensive line room.
Boyd's size would make him a good fit at nose tackle in base defense. It may not be the most frequently used alignment, but it would be a bigger role than he had as a rookie.
“I try to learn every day and take advantage of every opportunity.” Boyd said during training camp in 2024. “There are things I need to work on, and I’ve been hammering with the d-line coaches, just trying to get better every day.”
If he could take that step forward, Boyd has the ability to improve the Saints run defense. It was one of the biggest deficiencies the Saints had in 2024, Boyd could help bolster that area.
Boyd's collegiate career
Boyd is one of two Northern Iowa Panthers on the Saints roster. The other is offensive lineman Trevor Penning, who was drafted back in 2022.
Boyd spent six years in Cedar Falls, recording 100 tackles and 14 sacks, according to Pro Football Focus. Boyd also had his best season in 2023, with an 89.0 grade. In 2022 he was named Second-Team All-MVFC, and in 2023 he was named First-Team All-MVFC.
However, he almost didn't commit to UNI.
"I actually had a few FBS offers... but the crazy thing about those is that all the coaching staff left right before my senior season." Boyd said on NFLdraftdiamonds. "UNI popped up on the radar; I went there and had a great visit. And then, of course, there's the trail of success from former players."
UNI head coach Mark Farley, in an interview with PanthersSportsTalk, said he expects Boyd to be a resolute player in the NFL. "UNI guys do very well because they're prepared when they get there, and their tenacity and perseverance show up," Mark Farley said. "I expect the same from Khristian."