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Like many of the players at the NFLPA Bowl. Trevone Boykin was in Los Angeles for a reason. For those playing in the game, their reason to play in the a game like the NFLPA Bowl are different, but every player's goal is the same: impress scouts and convince them you're someone they should be interested in during the upcoming NFL draft.
The Bengals have been a "frog alley" (TCU fans will understand that reference) of late with multiple players coming out of TCU. Now it's unlikely that the Bengals will be looking for a quarterback in this upcoming draft, but you never know if the injury to Andy Dalton this year will make them want to take on another backup. Maybe they want more capable practice squad quarterback. The one thing that makes the NFL draft so intriguing to everyone is the doubt that hovers over every team's draft war room. Think about how much the NFL could make to charge pay per view to see inside those rooms on draft day. We all know that will never happen, but if you consider Trevone Boykin going to the Bengals, crazier things have happened.
Trevone Boykin is a polarizing prospect for many reasons. He's a dual threat, he has succeeded at a high level (30+ TD and 10 interceptions in his final two years), and he has the ability to possibly play a position besides quarterback if that doesn't work out.
It would be wrong of me to also not mention there is some bad with the good. He has some risk because it is an unknown if he will continue to progress at quarterback, he's a little small for the "ideal" height (but so was Russell Wilson), and there is the unfortunate incident in San Antonio that took him out of TCU's Bowl game this season, but to me that seems like it was an isolated incident and not indicative of his character. I follow TCU very closely and know that Gary Patterson would not allow a player on his team who he thought was not a high character person; we've all made mistakes.
After the NFLPA Bowl I got a chance to speak with Boykin and ask him about some of the concerns surrounding him going into the draft, how his week was in California, the TCU alums on the Bengals (he has spoken with Andy Dalton) and much more.