Still recovering from his injury, Boyd said the summer routine helped him feel more comfortable on his feet. Now, he makes members of the opposing backfield squirm.

“He’s a guy you have to account for because he may be biggest hitter in our league at any position,” Murphy said. “Not only can he do his job, but he can really intimidate ball carriers and receivers and he can really get his teammates jacked up.”

Murphy went on to compare Boyd to another playmaker, 12-time NFL pro-bowler Ray Lewis of the Baltimore Ravens. When Boyd patrols the field in his No. 52 jersey, the same number Lewis dons, it’s hard not to see the similarity.

“It’d be easy to say I model myself after Ray Lewis, but I try to do me out there,” Boyd said of the comparison. “I try to be a hard hitter and a good tackler. I try to hang my hat on that.”

Fellow junior linebacker Alex Norman has seen Boyd’s impact on the team in practice as well as on game day.

“He has really provided a spark on defense,” Norman said. “In practice, he has always been the guy to bring down the ball carrier. Now that he has taken on a bigger role after Blaise went down, he’s been even more intense.”

Norman, who is also Boyd’s roommate, still sees the up-and-comer improving.

“He is still getting comfortable with the schemes and the playbook,” Norman said. “He has shown a lot of improvement, but there is still room for him to get better.”