Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd received a fourth-round grade from the NFL Draft Advisory Board after his junior season, so he returned for his senior season to improve his stock.
He threw for 3,851 yards and 34 touchdowns in 2013 and also ran for 10 scores, helping Clemson to an 11-2 record and a victory over Ohio State in the Orange Bowl. But his draft stock doesn't seem to have improved that much, as some analysts still see him as a third-day selection.
There were 11 quarterbacks drafted in 2013 and only three went before the fourth round. This season, three could go among the top-10 picks and -- being somewhat generous to the quarterback crop -- as many as seven could go in the first two rounds.
Still, Boyd said he has no regrets about returning for his senior season.
"I didn't know if I was really ready and mature enough to make that leap," he told charlotteobserver.com while at the Reese's Senior Bowl. "When you step up there, that's grown-men ball up there. Again, I just wanted to grow into my own and become a more complete person in general."
He also said he thinks he has become a better player.
"Last year, while my numbers were good and I would have been a solid pick early on, I felt I still had room to grow as far as at that level," he said. "Whenever you're making that transition or a jump, you want to be as prepared as possible, so that's what I did heading into this season."
NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah has said he thinks Boyd could go as early as the second round but he also said he thinks Boyd has issues to address.
"One thing that I struggle with is when he needs to shuffle, reset his feet, when he gets pushed off his mark, decision-making and accuracy takes a tumble," Jeremiah said Tuesday on NFL Network.
Some analysts knock Boyd for his size. He measured a touch under 6-foot-2 at Monday's Senior Bowl weigh-in.
"His inconsistency and accuracy -- that's what's going to be holding him back more than his size," Jeremiah said.
Boyd was a three-year starter for Clemson and finished his career with 11,904 passing yards and 107 TD passes. The TD total is an ACC record, while the yardage total is second in conference history to former North Carolina State star Philip Rivers' 13,484.
Mike Huguenin can be reached at mike.huguenin@nfl.com. You also can follow him on Twitter @MikeHuguenin.
