Report: Seahawks have top 30 visit scheduled with Northern Iowa DT

Khristian Boyd was first-team All-MVFC at Northern Iowa in 2023.

The Seattle Seahawks will no doubt be looking to improve the interior of its defensive line under Mike Macdonald, and they’ve reportedly set up a formal pre-draft visit with a player from the FCS ranks.

Initially reported a few days ago by Tony Pauline, the Seahawks are among a host of teams slated for a top 30 visit with Northern Iowa defensive tackle Khristian Boyd. The 23-year-old did not receive an NFL combine invite, but did participate at his school’s pro day.

Boyd was second-team All-Missouri Valley Conference in 2022, then leveled up to first-team in his senior season. Over six seasons (including a redshirt freshman year) he registered 90 total tackles, 22.5 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, 5 passes defensed, and a pair of forced fumbles.

Measurables

Height: 6’2

Weight: 329 lbs

Hand: 9⅝”

Arm: 31⅞”

Wingspan: 77⅛”

Here’s the scouting report from Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder:

OVERALL

Khristian Boyd is an intriguing FCS/small-school prospect. He has a stocky build with good weight and plenty of upper-body strength, as evidenced by his 38 bench press reps at Northern Iowa’s pro day. He can also be disruptive against the run and as a pass-rusher.

However, Boyd’s best position in the NFL remains unclear. He has the physical profile of a nose tackle, but he struggles against double-teams and plays more like a 3-technique.

Still, he’s worth taking a flier on during Day 3 of the draft and seeing what he can do in training camp.

GRADE: 5.9 (Backup/Draftable — 6th-7th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 174

POSITION RANK: DL19

PRO COMPARISON: Khalen Saunders

Nearly all of the Seahawks’ reported top 30 visits are projected Day 3 picks or potential undrafted free agents. I assume we’ll hear about some bigger names over the next couple of weeks, but it’s a good reminder that top 30 visits are not about the literal top 30 prospects a team has. Seattle is going to explore all of its options throughout the draft board, and we know over the years a lot of John Schneider’s best work has come in the later rounds and with UDFAs.

Take a look at some of Boyd’s highlights below: