Arkansas Football: Rakeem Boyd’s decision to return will pay dividends

Rakeem Boyd made the decision to return for his senior season with Arkansas football and it will pay major dividends for both sides.

If you’re a fan of the Arkansas football program, you have to be ecstatic with the news that came out two days before Christmas.

Rakeem Boyd, the team’s star running back and 1,000-yard rusher, announced he would be coming back for his senior season, skipping an opportunity to enter the NFL draft a year early.

That news is not only good for Boyd but also for the Razorbacks as they might have the best returning running back in the SEC next season. He finished this season with 1,133 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging a healthy 6.2 yards per attempt.

https://twitter.com/boyd_rakeem/status/1209232363378675712?s=20

Boyd, though, might benefit the most from this return. Not only will he be a likely preseason All-SEC first-teamer, but he’ll get more recognition on an improved team led by a fresh coaching staff. He might see his carries increase and with that will come an increase in exposure. Arkansas won’t be playing for the SEC title, but if he can help get the Razorbacks to a bowl game, his draft stock will soar.

As a 6-foot-0, 215-pound back, Boyd has the size and athleticism to succeed at the next level in the right situation. There are plenty of teams looking for solid running backs but next year the market could be even more demanding — he may only be a middle-rounder this year.

If you’re Boyd, you have to feel good about coming back to improve your stock and earn more money that way and if you’re a Razorback fan, you just have to feel good about the future of the program after the Chad Morris debacle.