Byrd played pop warner for the Miami Lakes Jaguars under head coach Buck Bailey who produced players in the NFL such as Chad Johnson, Chad Simpson, Samari Rolle, Gartrell Johnson and many more Byrd played just one year at the high school level — his senior season at Miami Central High School.

Byrd started for two years at Pearl River, helping that school to back-to-back Mississippi state junior college championships.

He combined to catch 87 balls for 1,433 yards and 12 touchdowns during his career, earning first-team All-American junior college honors this past season.

The biggest moment of his short college career came on October 20, 2007, when he caught a game-winning touchdown pass from quarterback Matt Flynn with time expiring in regulation vs. rival Auburn University.

On April 26, 2009, Byrd was selected by the San Diego Chargers 224th overall in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL draft.