Last Chance U puts new Razorback Boyd in spotlight

Running back Rakeem Boyd.

— Arkansas running back signee Rakeem Boyd (6-0, 205) has become famous over the last couple of weeks due to the release of the third season of the Netflix series Last Chance U.

The Independence, Kan., Community College standout who began his college career at Texas A&M, Boyd was already a star to Razorback running backs coach Jeff Traylor, who once recruited him for the University of Texas.

“I have known Rakeem for a long time,” Traylor said. “It helps that we have got a relationship already developed. I’ve never coached him, which is always different. He is probably around six foot, probably around 200-205. He was a great track kid in high school, can run and is explosive.

“Because of the show, everybody is all excited about him, but I was already excited. I had already seen all those cut ups. He is freakishly talented, I think he is very humble now and it is always good for a young man to get a second chance.

“I would expect him to be extremely humble, grateful and be the kind of person you expect him to be.”

Boyd rushed for 3,915 yards and 48 touchdowns as a junior and senior at Houston, Texas, Stratford High School and then signed with Texas A&M over Michigan, Texas, Nebraska and others.

After arriving late to Texas A&M when it took time to get through the NCAA Clearance House, Boyd redshirted his first year and had to transfer when academic issues arose.

That’s how he ended up at Independence, where he would rush for over 1,200 yards and 14 touchdowns last season after a slow start and become one of the series’ featured players.

He had 1,205 yards and 14 touchdowns in the last eight games, including 528 yards and four touchdowns in his final two games.

Traylor was the main recruiter for Boyd - who has three years of eligibility left and picked Arkansas over Arizona State and Colorado - and spent time in Independence as the show was being filmed.

“I wasn’t going to watch it, but it has blown up so much that I expected today that I was going to get asked,” Traylor said. “So I actually have watched eight episodes in the last couple of days. I finished it off last night.

“It portrays Rakeem pretty accurate. The story shows his mom, him going through Hurricane Katrina and what he has been through with his father.

“That is all accurate, as is his sweetness, his kindness and how you never really see him acting crazy on the show. He is always low key and in the back. Many times you saw him have the opportunity to talk about himself and he would talk about the team. That is who Rakeem is and I thought that was fair.”

Boyd recently graduated from Independence and is expected to officially join the Razorbacks in the next few days.

“I’m really happy for him,” Traylor said. “I really am. It’s a great comeback story and I think he is going to take this chance and really run with it.”