National Football League

Trevone Boykin says he'll be honest about arrest, open to position change

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 2:01 p.m. ET

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Trevone Boykin knew the questions would be coming, both from the media, and more importantly, from NFL teams. The former TCU star QB said he's ready to be totally honest with teams when they ask him about "that night" in San Antonio.

"I tell them the truth," Boykin said. "I tell them exactly what happened from every detail. I am truly remorseful for what happened. I devastated not only myself but the city of Fort Worth and the last name Boykin that I wear with pride. I wear TCU with pride. When that happened to me, I try to move forward and be positive about it and show that I am remorseful for it, and show that I have learned from it. And, that it wont happen again."

The "it" that he refers to was the most surprising story of bowl season in 2015, when Boykin was arrested -- and charged with a felony for allegedly striking a bicycle patrol officer outside a San Antonio bar less than 72 hours before the Horned Frogs faced Oregon in the Alamo Bowl. TCU coach Gary Patterson suspended Boykin for the bowl game.

"Look at my body of work," Boykin said. "You can't let one incident define you at all. It is something that you have to move past and move forward. 

"I feel like I am doing that pretty well. I was able to get away for six weeks and think about it all and try and move forward."

Despite a spectacular career quarterbacking the Horned Frogs that included him accounting for 81 touchdowns the past two seasons, there was already quite a bit of skepticism about whether the 6-0, 212-pound Boykin could play quarterback in the NFL, especially as it related to whether he could consistently deliver from inside the pocket. Asked how receptive he'd be to switching positions -- perhaps to receiver -- if NFL teams didn't want him to play quarterback, Boykin said he's "totally open" to switching positions.

"If you look at my college career at TCU, I bounced around from receiver to running back to quarterback," he said, "but my heart is at quarterback. It's something I've been doing. It's something I put up great stats at, something I've been doing for the past couple of years, almost my whole life, and I just happen to be a great athlete."

Boykin's workout numbers in Indy this week were modest, and in truth, less impressive than many NFL folks would've liked to have seen. He clocked a 4.77 40 -- about two-tenths of a second slower than personnel people FOX Sports spoke with had anticipated. He also vertical jumped 32 inches -- seventh-best among QBs.

Boykin said since his arrest he's received support from many people, noting that TCU great LaDainian Tomlinson and former Ohio State standout Maurice Clarett have reached out to him. Clarett has gotten into motivational speaking after bouncing back from a three-and-a half year prison stay for robbery and concealed weapons charges.

"I've been talking to Maurice," Boykin said. "Maurice has been doing FCA work. During fall camp he came to talk to the TCU football team, and I watched the 30 for 30 (documentary) Youngstown Boys, where you see him go through his career and the things that he did for him to turn out so positive and do positive things."

Boykin said when you surround yourself with positive people, including having guys like Tomlinson and Clarett in your corner, it's a big help. 

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