Boykin: 'On Sunday's I Become Six [Foot]-Three [Inches]'
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) --- Brandon Boykin was tied for the second most interceptions in the NFL last year, with six, only two behind Seattle's Richard Sherman. However, the five-foot-10 inch, 185-pound corner had his breakout season playing only 51-percent of defensive snaps last year. So does Boykin ever wonder if he would play every snap, if he was taller?
"On Sunday's I become six-three," Boykin joked with Angelo Cataldi on the 94WIP Morning Show. "I don't know, if I haven't told you guys yet, but I grow Saturday night and I turn into like six-three and a half."
Listen: Brandon Boykin on the 94WIP Morning Show
Boykin, 24, heads into only his third NFL season with tremendous confidence. He can feel the energy in the city.
"Man, we are extremely excited," Boykin said of the new season. "We have one of our last days of practice today. So, everybody is just really excited. We can feel the atmosphere in the city. So, we're expecting it to be a really good atmosphere on Sunday, and we'll definitely try to give the fans what they want, which is a W."
The NFL has made a point to crack down on any contact by defensive backs after five yards during preseason. Boykin explained the stricter rules have been testing, but ultimately, they've helped the Eagles improve.
"It's only natural that after five yards you want to put yourself in the best position, so maybe you're going to have your hands on him a little bit," Boykin said on Thursday. "But right now, after five, if you even touch him at all it's a flag. It's been a little bit challenging, but I think it's helped us work on our fundamentals and our footwork even more. So, like I said, we're athletic enough and smart enough to know how to adjust and still make plays."
The Eagles open their second season under Chip Kelly on Sunday against the Jaguars. Boykin and the defense embark on their second straight season under Billy Davis' 3-4 scheme with more experience.
Is it fair to expect improvement from the defensive unit?
"Yeah, I think so," Boykin admitted. "I do, I think with experience and just being comfortable in it, naturally you should get better. So we've got the experience, and we're comfortable, and we have the confidence, and we've got a billion reps in the system. I definitely expect us to have a better year, more turnovers, and just a better overall feel of what's going on on the field."
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