Rakeem Boyd starred in the third installment of the docu-series, INDY: Part 1, and has done very well since then. He enrolled at Arkansas on July 31, 2018, and after being used in a reserve role his first three appearances, broke out against his original Division-I team.
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Before joining the Independence C.C. football team, Boyd redshirted at Texas A&M during the 2016-17 season. And it was against those same Aggies that Boyd tallied his first double-digit carry game at Arkansas. He only amassed 47 rushing yards, but contributed four receptions for 33 receiving yards against his former team, as well — the coaches finally realized his potential at this point.
Boyd started the final eight games of the season, totaling at least 100 yards in five of them — at Auburn, against Alabama, against Mississippi, against Tulsa, and against Vanderbilt. He became the workhorse for a Razorback team that finished 2-10 in 2018.
It shouldn’t be any surprise that Boyd led the Razorbacks in rushing, but his 23 receptions were the third-most of any Arkansas player. His 165 receiving yards ranked sixth on the team, but it proves he can be an asset in the passing game. Boyd’s role shouldn’t be expected to grow any in 2019. Instead, with a likely-improved team around him, his role will be more-refined and more focused, potentially creating an environment for a breakout campaign.