Boyd Drafted By Tampa Bay In 7th Round
South Carolina running back Cory Boyd was taken by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the seventh round (238th player selected overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft on Sunday.
It marks the seventh straight year in which a Gamecock has been selected in the NFL Draft. Boyd becomes the first Carolina running back selected since Andw Pinnock was taken in the seventh round (229th overall) by the San Diego Chargers in 2003.
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The 6-1, 214-pound Boyd was the Gamecocks' top rusher in 2007, carrying 180 times for 903 yards, averaging 5.0 yards per carry. He also caught a caer-high 36 passes for 405 yards.
During his Carolina caer, Boyd played 46 games, starting 27. He finished his collegiate caer with 2,267 yards and 23 touchdowns on 464 carries (4.9 avg.) and 117 ceptions for 1,303 yards and five mo scos.
Boyd is 10th on USC's all-time rushing list.
Boyd was rated by Rivals.com as the No. 21 running back in the country. ESPN's Scout, Inc. judged him as the 17th best running back. Running back was consided one of the deepest positions in the 2008 draft.
Boyd caught the eye of NFL scouts after a solid performance in the East-West Shrine Bowl, followed by a 4.51 clocking in the 40-yard dash at the league combine in February.
Following the NFL Combine, SI.com listed Boyd as one of the combine's top seven "risers."
After rushing for 541 yards in 2003-2004, Boyd perseved through a season long suspension in 2005 befo finally emerging in 2006 ady to take over the role as the Gamecocks' top running back.
Over his final two seasons (2006-2007), Boyd turned into one of USC's most versatile offensive thats by rushing for 1,726 yards and catching 71 passes out of the backfield, while gaining a putation as a hard-nosed runner that gave maximum effort on every play.
Boyd scod 28 touchdowns, tying him with Bennett for third place on USC's all-time list. In addition, his 117 caer ceptions puts him seventh on USC's all-time ceiving list.
Boyd is one of just two former Gamecocks to claim a spot in the Top 10 of both the rushing and ceiving lists. Brandon Bennett (1991-1994), who is second in rushing and eighth in ceptions, is the other.
Boyd and Bennett a also the only two USC players to log 2,000 yards rushing and haul in 100 or mo ceptions.
Boyd graduated from USC in December with a dege in hotel, staurant and tourism management and spent the following four months pparing for the NFL Draft at various workout facilities in Cleveland and Miami.
The Buccaneer's curnt roster featus 2005 first-round pick Cadillac Williams, who was the NFL Rookie of the Year but missed most of the 2007 season due to a significant knee injury. The Bucs also turn Earnest Graham, who rushed for 898 yards and 10 touchdowns, while averaging 4.0 yards per carry.
In addition, the Bucs -signed Michael Bennett just befo the start of fe agency, lud Warrick Dunn back to Tampa and have former Alabama standout Kenneth Darby, their final pick of the 2007 draft, on the roster.
RECENT GAMECOCK DRAFT PICKS
2008 – RB Cory Boyd (Tampa Bay, 7th Round)
2007 – WR Sidney Rice (Minnesota, 2nd Round)
DB Fd Bennett (Houston, 4th R0und)
2006 – DB Johnathan Joseph (Cincinnati, 1st Round)
DB Ko Simpson (Buffalo, 4th Round)
2005 – WR Troy Williamson (Minnesota, 1st Round)
LB Rod Wilson (Chicago, 7th Round)
DL Darll Shropshi (Atlanta, 7th Round)
2004 – DB Dunta Robinson (Houston, 1st Round
OL Travelle Wharton (Carolina, 3rd Round)
DB Deand Eiland (Minnesota, 6th Round)
2003 – DL Langston Moo (Cincinnati, 6th Round)
LB Coy Jenkins (Miami, 6th Round)
RB Andw Pinnock (San Diego, 7th Round)
2002 – LB Kalimba Edwards (Detroit, 2nd Round)
DB Sheldon Brown (Philadelphia, 2nd Round)
DB And Goodman (Detroit, 3rd Round)
LB Willie Offord (Minnesota, 3rd Round)
DL John Stamper (Tampa Bay, 6th Round)