Countdown to Kickoff: Khristian Boyd is the Saints Player of Day 97

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Countdown to Kickoff: Khristian Boyd is the Saints Player of Day 97

Countdown to Kickoff: Khristian Boyd is the Saints Player of Day 97

Bob Rose , Saints Wire · Saints Wire

Mon, Jun 8, 2026 ·

2 min read

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We are down to 97 days that separate us from the New Orleans Saints 2026 regular season opener. On Sunday, Sept. 13, the Saints will kick off their year with a showdown against the Detroit Lions on the road. Defensive tackle Khristian Boyd is wearing No. 97 for New Orleans as the team heads towards training camp in July.

Our countdown to kickoff series at Saints Wire continues today, as we take a look at Boyd's brief NFL career.

Name (age): Khristian Boyd (26)

Hometown: Blue Springs, Mo.
Position: Defensive tackle
Height, weight: 6-foot-2, 320 pounds
College: Northern Iowa Panthers
Relative Athletic Score: 4.63
Drafted: 6th round/199th overall in 2024 (Saints)
NFL experience: 3rd year
2026 salary cap hit: $1,119,707

After a productive collegiate career at Northern Iowa, Boyd stood out at the 2024 East-West Shrine workouts. It was enough for the Saints to use a mid-6th round choice on him in 2024. Just two years earlier, New Orleans had used a first round pick on offensive tackle Trevor Penning , Boyd's teammate at Northern Iowa.

As a rookie, Boyd saw action in six games. He appeared in 74 defensive snaps, 20% of the total on that side of the ball, while contributing just three total tackles. Boyd would play in only four games during the 2025 season, but with a slightly increased total of 77 defensive snaps, 29% of the team's total. He had 4 tackles with 1 QB hit and made a couple critical plays against the run.

Over the last few seasons, the Saints have been desperate for a big-bodied run-stopper on the inside. Khristian Boyd has the physical profile and strength for such a duty, but has yet to earn the role that New Orleans needs. This offseason, the Saints added defensive tackle Christen Miller with a second-round draft choice and signed undrafted but promising rookie Zxavian Harris. Boyd could be in for a major fight to keep a spot on the New Orleans depth chart.