In fewer than 20 snaps of last night’s Hall of Fame game versus the Minnesota Vikings, cornerback Brandon Boykin proved what a valuable addition he could be for the Pittsburgh Steelers. A batted pass on one of his three pass rushes was his highlight play, but he also added to that with a tackle for no gain on rookie tight end MyCole Pruitt early in the second quarter to highlight his coverage skills.
Though this is just a first (and limited) viewing of his skills in a different situation, it’s a timely reminder of the caliber of player the Steelers acquired. A year ago the Steelers suffered with inconsistency from their slot corner Brice McCain, who departed for Miami in free agency. McCain surrendered 50 yards or more five times last season, whereas Boykin allowed that level of production only twice with the Eagles, and broke up nine passes compared to McCain’s solitary pass defensed. Boykin also picked off three passes.
Considering how little time Boykin has had to acclimatize to the Steelers’ defensive scheme, it must be extremely encouraging for Pittsburgh that what little we saw from Boykin was so overwhelmingly positive.
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