Swim Move from the Shadows: Bryce Boone

"Oh my god. If Myron Boone doesn't go first... I don't know what I'll do." - Todd McShay, prior to the season 53 draft

13 seasons ago, Red Zone Football analyst Todd McShay was beside himself moments before the annual rookie draft, as murmers from the Giants front office and late coach Michael "Corn" Miles were that Myron Boone was falling off of their radar. The Giants held the number one overall selection and it was expected that they would select Penn State edge rusher Myron Boone with the first overall pick.

Prior to this, the last Nittany Lion defensive lineman to go first overall was Courtney Brown to the Cleveland Browns back in 2000.

In what Todd McShay described as "the biggest mistake of his tenure" with the Giants, coach Michael Miles opted not to draft Myron Boone. He later cited concerns with his health and noted a "less than stellar combine" score as the reasoning behind the decision. Not only would Myron Boone fall past the top draft selection, he would hold his chair in the green room for five more selections.

Boone, a standout two-sport athlete at Central Valley High in Western Pennsylvania, chose football over a promising amateur wrestling career. Much to the delight of his high school (and later college) coaches, Boone committed full time to his football career and although his team finished at 10-1 without a state championship, it was clear Myron Boone was not the issue. Boone grew fast from a young age, eventually standing at a towering 6'5'', 225 lbs by the time he graduated high school. Boone's ability to dominate offensive lineman earned him praise state-wide at the high school level. The commonwealth was not the only home of those looking to get their hands on Myron's services as he continued to grow and expand his game heading into college.

This takes us to The 1990's, where Myron's father played college football at the university of Penn State. From a very young age, Myron (and later his younger brother) would idolize their father. He became their trainer, their mentor and Myron has stated on multiple occasions that he would not be where he is today without him. Because of this emotional connection, the choice was never more clear to Myron Boone where he wanted to lace his cleats at the next level. Despite offers from Alabama, Florida State, Miami and pretty much every other major college out there, Myron Boone ignored them all and declared for Penn State to become the star commit for the Nittany Lions that summer.

The sure-fire prodigy became the talk of the nation ahead of his debut in the Red Zone's 51st season. The true freshman had all eyes in college and even eyes from the Red Zone scouts themself on him before he had even played a snap. Boone, who at this point had grown to an unbelievable 260 lbs, held himself together very well throughout his freshman year, avoiding many pitfalls that often take down stars of his caliber. Despite the talks of "number one overall" before he finished his first spring scrimmage at Penn State, there was never an ill word spoken about Myron. Not his work ethic on the field, in the classroom, or at the dinner table.

All eyes were on the second coming. All eyes were on Myron Boone.

Around this time, however, Myron's younger brother was getting older and, naturally, began playing football as well at the lower levels. Bryce "BB" Boone found himself in a position many athletes find themselves in, hoping to live up to the unbelievable expectations set by a family of overachievers. Bryce never saw the same amount of attention that Myron saw. As a child, Myron's father acted as a personal trainer, a bodyguard and a mentor. While Bryce fought his own battles, his father (now older) was in the stands at Beaver Stadium watching Myron Boone. Watching the prodigy at work.

...and work he did. As a true freshman, found a niche as a run-stuffing powerhouse on the defensive line. He often switched positions throughout games and would even utilize his brute strength in the center of the line. Boone amassed 8 sacks and 14 tackles for a loss in his freshman year. While no records were set, it was clear to everyone that this was no misplaced potential.

Myron Boone was the real deal.

Boone's sophomore campaign was even more dominant and saw his hype switch gradually from "potential" to "domination". Boone continued his work on the defensive line for Penn State, captaining the team to a 11-2 record. Boone played all 13 games and proved every single analyst right who had been following him since his days at Central Valley. 14.5 sacks and 26 tackles for a loss. Both statistics led the nation. Despite being penciled in as the clear cut #1 overall pick for the Red Zone's season 52 draft... Myron was unsatisfied with not winning a national championship and decided to take one more crack at it. Unfortunately, his Junior season did not go as planned...

Myron suffered a knee injury in the preseason which he would carry throughout the year. Despite playing 10 games, Boone was removed from games several times with this lingering injury and would only managed 4 sacks and 11.5 tackles for a loss. Boone's injury was later diagnosed as a torn minuscus, an injury he played on for 10 games at the highest level of college football. He would have surgery to correct this in the offseason as he finally declared for the draft ahead of Season 53.

Which brings us back to that fateful day, September 12th, 2019. The green room growing more and more tense as the picks went by before finally...

"With the 6th pick in the Season 53 Red Zone Football Draft... The Miami Dolphins have selected Myron Boone, defensive end, Penn State."

An eruption of excitement and relief swept over the Boone table. Boone stood from that very table, just seconds from shaking the hand of the commissioner of the Red Zone. He hugged his mother and father and lifted his 10-year old brother and squeezed him tight. In that moment, as Myron's parents gave a tear-filled standing ovation to their 21-year old prodigal son... It was Myron who hadn't forgotten Bryce. It was the superstar himself that was sure to remind Bryce that he was not alone.... That he was not just another onlooker to the success of Myron Boone. He was someone.

From here, any fan of the Red Zone knows how this story goes... The 5 teams that selected before the Dolphins lived 10 full seasons of regret watching Myron Boone decimate offensive lines. Despite injury concerns dropping his stock and causing doubt in analysts (other than Todd McShay) for the first time in his life, Myron Boone proved every single one of them wrong, amassing over 200 sacks in his red zone career and at one point coming in 2nd place in Red Zone MVP voting, an incredible feat for a defensive player. He will forever be known as a legendary Red Zone draft selection. Certainly lifted by the coaching and front office of the now-LA Rams leadership group, it was always going to be Myron's league and he made sure of it.

Over his near decade long career, Myron Boone received all the attention in high school and college. His parents' Penn State merchandise slowly shifted to Miami Dolphins merchandise. Their family moved to the sunshine state... Bryce Boone moved with them.

Not able to follow his father and brother's footsteps at Central Valley, Bryce struggled early on in his high school career. Despite being a part of the roster at American Heritage, one of the top football schools in the state, Bryce never received the same level of praise or attention. He was slower to develop, standing at only 5'6'', 150 lbs as a Freshman. While he would eventually grow to become just over 6'0'' by the time he graduated, this plagued Bryce Boone's high school career.

In his senior year, Bryce was arrested for underrage drinking along with six other students. He spent one night in jail and was released to his parents the following day. He would play just one more game after that arrest on senior night. As Myron was continuing his dominance over AFC offensive lines in the Red Zone, Bryce's high school career came to a quiet close at the end of Season 61.

American Heritage had enjoyed great success throughout Bryce's time there, though he was never the center of attention. After his graduation, Bryce Boone began preparations for a collegiate career in the NCAA. He stated in an interview with a local paper around this time that it felt like "...there was only one 'Boone kid' that everyone cared about" and that "it hurts. It's just hard sometimes." Despite this quote causing a small stir and his parents being forced to reiterate that they love both of their sons, Bryce did not recant his statement.

With a less-than-stellar high school career, being undersized for an edge rusher, and the brief legal troubles, many power schools were hesitant to offer Bryce Boone a scholarship at all, much less the undivided attention his brother received around the same time in his life. His entire life, he wanted to play football at Penn State. He wanted to be like his dad and like his brother. Bryce Boone wanted to make everyone proud and excited the same way Myron did.

Unfortunately, Penn State did not have interest in Bryce Boone.

Boone received full scholarships from several FCS schools, including Weber State and Montana State. He chose to decline these offers and instead enrolled at Pittsburgh university. A mere 2 hour, 15 minute drive from his family's Penn State University felt lightyears away as Bryce was forced to tryout as a walkon for the Panthers. At this time, at 18 years old, Bryce finally began to grow into his frame. Now standing 6'1'', 220 lbs, Bryce exhibited an unfamiliar speed and agility that his brother was never known for. Throughout Myron's career, he was always an imposing powerful force that was able to bully opposing lines and compliment his pass rushing with run stopping abilities.

However, this was never the case for Bryce. Being undersized, he always had to find creative and elusive ways around offensive lineman. Swim moves, spin moves, using pure speed. Bryce didn't see much playing time as a true freshman at Pittsburgh. He logged just 1 sack in a spot game against Albany.

At this time, the "chosen one" had moved on from his playing days. No longer was Myron Boone decimating quarterbacks in the Red Zone. Season 63 and 64 saw a shift in attention over to the 2nd and 3rd year Bryce Boone. The now 6'2, 240 lb pure edge rusher was starting to attract attention from nationwide coordinators and Red Zone scouts alike with his incredible agility and ability to swim through opposing tackles en route to the quarterback. Gone were the days of older brother Myron's bull rushing, hard hitting tackles. Bryce Boone was not a copycat, but instead had found his own identity.

Considering himself the smaller, second, forgotten child in the Boone family... Bryce had always tried to mimic his brother's success on the field, yet found his best skills when he embraced a different playstyle altogether. Boone and the Pittsburgh Panthers continued gradual improvement into his senior year. As a Junior pass rusher, Bryce earned all-conference defensive honors with 11 sacks and 12 tackles for a loss.

Myron Boone's final collegiate season was marred in injury and questions... Bryce, continuing to show that his path could end in the same place, continued to be different. There were always going to be questions, doubts, concerns... people wondering if he'd ever be as good as his brother.

The 21-year old senior wasn't just good. He was unbelievable.

Leading the nation with 15 sacks for the 9-win Panthers, Bryce Boone planted his flag in the college football landscape when the Pittsburgh Panthers faced the Penn State Nittany Lions in the resumation of the "Keystone Classic" in Season 65. Despite winning less games on the season overall, Pitt won the contest 17-10. Bryce Boone contributed 2 sacks on the contest and was a pivotal part of pressuring the otherwise dangerous Penn State offense. After competing for the Nittany Lions and watching his son Myron dominate the college football landscape a decade prior, the patriarch of the Boone family instead stood on the opposite side alongside Myron as they cheered on Bryce's emotional victory against the team and college that had denied him his lifelong dream just 4 years earlier.

As a walkon at Pitt, Bryce Boone had amassed 34 quarterback sacks in four years and played every single game from Season 63 through Season 65. He had not only emerged from the shadow cast by his elder brother, but he had carved his own niche and continued the Boone legacy in a way none thought possible just years earlier.

So now... Here we are.

Bryce Boone has officially declared for the Season 65 Red Zone draft. An official combine score of 6.9 and showing out in a class filled with incredible athletes at the defensive line position, Bryce Boone is no longer the BB, he's become The Buckshot. He's become one of the can't-miss prospects in the entire draft.

Bryce has proven that you do not need to walk the same path to reach the same destination. The draft is less than 24 hours away. The Detroit Lions are on the clock.

Welcome to the big leagues, Buckshot.

#RZ65