STRENGTHS - Boyett has the upper body bulk required to play the position at the next level. In zone coverage he is quick to read the QB and attack the boundary, allowing him to make plays outside the hashes. When he arrives in time, he does an excellent job of either cutting off the route to break up the pass or exploding through the receiver to deliver a huge hit and jar the ball loose. Against the run he does a solid job of breaking down in space and finishing tackles.
WEAKNESSES - Boyett has to rely on instinct to make plays from off the ball, as he lacks the top end speed and explosion to consistently close in space. While he is physical in man coverage, he does not have the size to compete with TEs, and lacks the closing speed and COD to stay with receivers in space. At times he gets caught watching the QB too much and will vacate his area of responsibility, allowing savvy QBs to move him out of position with their eyes. After playing the 2012 opener against Arkansas State he missed the remainder of his senior season with partial tears in both patella tendons, which required surgery. He stated the week after his last game that the injuries were something he played through in 2011 and hadn't healed properly.
SUMMARY - John Boyett missed almost the entire 2012 football season after undergoing surgery to repair both of his patellar tendons, and has not worked out during the pre-draft process. This is obviously unfortunate for his draft status on multiple levels, but in particular because he showed flashes as a junior that are likely to entice NFL teams. At the same time, he demonstrated that regardless of his injuries he is not ready to contribute at the next level and would have benefitted greatly by being on the field for his senior season at Oregon. He plays faster than he actually is because of his ability to anticipate throws to the boundary, allowing him to make plays outside the hashes that he would normally struggle to make from a pure athletic standpoint. Once he arrives, he consistently drives through the receiver and has a knack for jarring the ball loose with heavy hits. He struggles in man coverage because he does not have the size to compete with TEs, and lacks the speed to handle slot receivers. Although Oregon often asked him to play the deep middle, in the opportunities he had against the run in games I grade, he was a consistent tackler that showed the ability to breakdown and change directions against moving targets, and wrap up to secure tackles. Based on his junior film, Boyett looks like a potential #3 SAF that can also contribute on special teams, and is likely to be drafted late day three by a team looking for depth at the position.