Chiefs rookie WR Brandon Eakins gives interview

AA: As a wide receiver, what made you choose a school that ran an offense that many would consider to be not very friendly to your position?

BE: I guess you could say the school chose me more than I chose the school.  I had a couple of teams that threw the ball and even a few ACC teams interested about five games into my senior year (of high school).  I committed to The Citadel mostly because my parents said it would get me a good job.  But I was also thinking about other schools at the time, so I committed just to make sure I had something under my belt.  But then I tore my ACL, so…

AA: The Citadel is a different experience than most colleges.  Do you think your time there gives you any kind of an edge in football?

BE: I think it gives you an edge in discipline and definitely character and (facing) adversity really.  Most kids don’t wake up at six o’clock in the morning.  The mandatory formations and being held accountable as much as you are at The Citadel, I feel like that developed my character and discipline.  I’m probably so used to waking up early in the morning while everyone else was kind of dead and zombie-like.

AA: You were there for a very interesting and controversial time for the school.  Did the events (KKK Christmas, Naval Jack, and the student with the Hijab) give you a new perspective on the school?  Your classmates?  Society?

BE: I had always heard about The Citadel, and that you’re (known) by your last name and kind of held to a different standard.  I realized The Citadel is held to such a high standard, that you can’t really do anything wrong there.  Since I’ve been in that system, I kind of know the guys there.  When you’re with a bunch of guys and you don’t get very much freedom, people do things for entertainment purposes that other people see as bad, but the purpose was just for entertainment.

AA: How do the social atmospheres of Charleston and Kansas City differ?  Were they similar at all?

BE: We didn’t get out a lot in Kansas City.  I would get up about 6:15 in the morning and we would get off around five.  Everything was done in the facility.  By the time I got home, about 6 o’clock maybe, I was in the playbook studying.  So I didn’t really get to experience Kansas City.  I heard the BBQ is great, it was the one thing I kept hearing.  But we’ve got some BBQ down here too.

AA: Did you get a chance to try an KC BBQ?  How did it compare to Carolina BBQ?

BE: I didn’t.  I kept hearing rumors about it.  But I didn’t get out to try it.  I want to see how it holds up to Carolina BBQ.

AA: Quick trivia question: Do you know which state Kansas City is in?

BE: *laughs* Missouri.  I kept hearing the name, and every time I would think ‘Kansas’.

AA: It’s actually in both, but the important part is in Missouri.  It actually sits on the state line.

BE: Wow, that’s very weird.

AA: Have you bonded with any of the other players at the rookie minicamp, or was it all business?

BE: It was more business when we came in there, but after the first practice everybody started bonding.  The wide receiver corps, by day three, if really felt like they were my teammates. Chemistry really built.

AA: The Citadel doesn’t put a lot of guys into the NFL.  Have you been in touch with those that have been or are currently there (Cortez Allen, Andre Roberts, etc)?

BE: When I was coming into The Citadel, I didn’t really get a chance to know them.  I worked out with Andre once.  I talked to Kevin Harding who had a chance in the NFL, and Brandon McCladdy and Jay Simpson.  They were all on my team at one point in time.  I knew them pretty well so I talked to them and asked about their experience, and what I can do.  And they all offered me advice.  Kevin actually told me to reach out to Andre Roberts.  But I felt like I didn’t know them and (would be more) like a fan reaching out to them.

AA: You earned your Masters Degree at The Citadel.  If an NFL career isn’t in the cards, where do you see yourself going?  Sticking with football in the AFL/CFL?  Coaching or scouting?  Non-football?

BE: My number one thing (if football doesn’t work out) is, I want to be an athletic director.  If not that, then I want to be involved with a stadium, doing event planning or being an event director.  I worked the Cooper River Bridge Run for a few years, and that’s one of the biggest races in the country.  I kind of feel like I’m pretty good at it and I kind of like it.

AA: I saw you have a tryout coming up with a CFL team.

BE: Yeah, I’m kind of iffy on the CFL right now.  I’ve heard a lot of complaints.  I was talking to my agent earlier to see what he thinks about it.  I know a couple of guys that have played in the CFL and you’re isolated from your family.  I feel like having a regular job making decent money and being near my family might be a better situation.

Next: Wrapping Up