Photo Courtesy of Mike Boykin’s Twitter Account (@1_goat46)
UofL didn’t sign a defensive lineman in last year’s class. They set out to rectify that issue in this class and it appears they did just that. UofL fans remember Mike Boykin being a member of the 2016 class, but he was forced to go JUCO. Well, UofL still got their guy.
Boykin is physically impressive at 6’6 285 lbs. His size and strength are his biggest assets. Boykin isn’t a finesse edge rusher, he’s more of a bully. Even if you block him, you won’t push him back or hold that block for long. He gets off the block to make the play or flat out pushes the lineman into the backfield and makes the play.
If Boykin gets his hands on you, you rarely will escape his clutches. He does have nice quickness from time to time. He gets off the ball quickly and beats offensive linemen to the spot quite a bit.
When rushing the passer, Boykin uses the bull rush as his weapon of choice. His height and wingspan help him to tip balls if he can’t sack the QB. He’s also versatile and can play some DT, though he’s primarily a DE. Boykin can play in a 2 point or 3 point stance as well.
As Coach Petrino has often done with defensive linemen in his second stint, he seeks versatility. He gets that and a bully in Boykin. Boykin is in the mold of James Hearns as he uses his power more than speed. The difference is he’s significantly bigger. He’s got a mean swagger to him and the team can definitely use that.
Check out his highlights below and see what you think.
https://twitter.com/CoachPetrinoUL/status/943566704805842944
