Las Vegas Raiders CB Brandon Facyson from Training Camp
HENDERSON, Nev.--The Las Vegas Raiders have opened their 2023 NFL Training Camp, and cornerback Brandon Facyson took to the podium to address the media.
You can watch his entire comments below., and read the transcript:
Cornerback Brandon Facyson
Q: How does competing everyday against a guy like Davante Adams make you better?
Facyson: "It's great. Going against a guy on that level, all it does is help me to better my craft. I know I'm giving good work against him, so I'm helping him. It's great. I haven't really had to do that, and going against him, he's teaching me. I ask him questions about what he's seeing on some of the things that I'm doing and it's just helping each other every day. So, it's been great."
Q: You had some reps in particular kind of early in practice today where you were right on him and made a play. What kind of confidence does that bring you?
Facyson: "It brings great confidence. Knowing that I'm going against a guy like that every single day helps me to just be extremely confident out there against anybody else. We have great receivers here and all of them are great. So, just going against him, being able to make plays. We go back and forth, so it's been phenomenal honestly."
Q: You let him know about it when that happens?
Facyson: "I'm not really like a chirper, I just chill. I might celebrate a little bit. But in my head, I know I'm just doing me."
Q: I felt like today the competitiveness was jacked up a little bit. Is that a sign that pads are getting ready to come on and you guys are getting ready to turn that corner?
Facyson: "I think it's been competitive every single day. We know the pads are coming on tomorrow. So, I think it's just been getting better every single day as far as the competitiveness level. Every time we go out there, we compete with those guys, and they compete against us. So, I think it's been definitely going up higher. I think it's just a level of comfort that we're all getting. We got through the first week of camp and we're still learning from each other, still learning how to play with each other as far as defensive wise and offensive wise. It's been great."
Q: I know today there was a heavy emphasis on third downs. We always think of that from an offensive standpoint, but not always from a defensive standpoint. That's got to be as competitive as it gets to get the other team off the field. Were you guys kind of feeling that today a little bit?
Facyson: "For sure. Our coaches tell us that all the time. Third down is an important down, you got to get off the field as far as defense. So, just got to get off the field, hone in on your technique, hone in on your craft and just compete at the highest level."
Q: Earlier this offseason, you were talking about how you really wanted that experience of going through a full training camp with this team. So, what has been the experience like with just being here and getting able to know these guys a lot better?
Facyson: "It's been great. Obviously, when I was here in 2021, I was kind of familiar with the system, I was familiar with some of the guys who were already here. Some of those guys are still here but being able to go through a full training camp here in a new defense, it's coming along very well. And I think we're jelling together well, and it's been great. Just working every single day, we've been through OTAs, now we're going through training camp. So, not a different level of competitiveness but it’s definitely hyped up. Training camps is a grind as we all know, so just kind of staying even keel and coming in here just ready to work every single day has been great."
Q: To take you back to that 2021 season. They pulled you off a practice squad, I remember you came in here and did some really good things and had a nice year when you the team had some injuries at that position. How important was that in kind of leading the way to this next step of your career?
Facyson: "It's been great. That part -- that was a hard time for me because it was different. It was a new experience having to pack up and go from LA to Vegas. But when I came here, I was welcomed with open arms and I just wanted to just compete every day and show these guys that they could trust me, and I think I did that in 2021. But coming into the next couple of seasons it definitely helped my confidence, so just really honing in on my craft and learning from the guys on the offensive side, learning from my new coaches and stuff like that. I'm learning new things and learning techniques, being a student of the game. So, it's definitely been a blessing. Just trying to go through it every single day."
Q: What about Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham’s system do you think gives you an emphasis or a competitive advantage so that you can thrive this year?
Facyson: "Honestly, just different ways, different coverages for sure. I came from a three-deep system. So, this is kind of like multiple. So, just learning different ways to play the game. Learning different nuances in the system is going to help you, definitely in the long run. So, I'm a longer corner, I like to get hands on guys, stuff like that. So, I think we all have our different techniques that we like to play. And it's been great so far. I'm just trying to learn every single day, just grow. And that's all we need. It's been good."
Q: What about this defense that tells you that you will create more takeaways?
Facyson: "A lot of players just freeing up, being able to look at the ball, being able to switch up different techniques, stuff like that. So, I don't want to give away too much, but it's been great. And just learning every single day, gelling with each other. And really just learning our playstyles. Everyone has a different play-style. And once you know that, once you figure that out, you kind of know. So, I think it'll be a good year for us. I don't want to talk too far in the future. But so far, I think we're liking what we see."
Q: You were teammates with Divine Deablo at Virginia Tech and now you're here with him on the Raiders and have seen him go from being in that DB room to now being a linebacker on the team. What are some things that you noticed about how he's progressed? And how cool is it to be back with him?
Facyson: "Man, so me and Deablo we're at Virginia Tech together and he was playing safety. And then when I got here in 2021, obviously when he was drafted, he was switched to linebacker. He's definitely gotten bigger. He was always a big dude, but definitely got bigger. He's been phenomenal. Even from that 2021 season, him learning the defense, coming in and making plays. And then when I came back, he is still doing his thing and making plays still. I'm proud of him. I knew him when he was “young young.” We played two seasons together at Virginia Tech. Just seeing him grow every single day and him having that confidence to do his thing, it's been cool."
Q: Did you see that potential in him when he was “young young" in your words? Did you believe he was going to be an NFL linebacker?
Facyson: "For sure, man. He works his butt off every single day. So, I always had that confidence in him and he's showing that now."
Q: We saw your cousin Amari Burney make at least one nice play on a ball today. I know you've already talked about how excited you are for him to be here. But what's it like now that he's actually been at training camp and how is he doing?
Facyson: "It's been good, man. He's definitely learning the system well and he's making plays. We all were turned up when he made that play today. I just told him to catch the ball, but I always got to give him something. We talk every single day. He’s got to sing in a little bit. I'm trying to just to be in his head every single day. And he knows he can ask any type of question. So, he's continuing to make plays and continuing to progress each and every day. And that's really all it's about, just wanting to be one percent better than the day before. So, he's continuing to do that. I think he'll just continue to grow."
Q: What does Marcus Peters bring into the secondary as a veteran? Facyson: "Ah man, he's been amazing. He definitely is a ball hawk, definitely. I ask him questions every day about what he sees because he's been in this system for a long time. He brings that competitive toughness. And we all have that. But him coming in being a vet, being that ball hawk and player that we know he is, and he knows he is, it's something we all want to kind of rally along with and we all want to create turnovers. He's been helping us all. So, having him here has definitely been good for all of us and I think it's going to be good at the end of the day.”
The Silver and Black open the preseason by hosting the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Aug. 13, at 4 p.m. EDT/1 p.m. PDT.
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