Hey, what's up everybody? Welcome in to another edition of DeCecho Daily. It's Andrew DeCechko here, Eagles Beat Reporter for Inside thebirds.com.

And based on reactions that occurred on the heels of Brandon Johnson's recent practice

squad elevations, I sent some curiosity regarding the rookie defensive back.

While I've casually chatted with Brandon throughout the season, on New Year's Eve,

I stopped by his locker for a formal conversation to hear his perspective on his first NFL

season and share that with you.

This edition of the podcast will be devoted to learning more about the Duke and Oregon product.

Brandon Johnson finds himself in rare company.

The 22-year-old is among just seven Eagles who were part of the team's initial practice squad

configuration prior to week one, who has remained all season. The others being safety

Andre Sam, tight-end E.J. Jenkins, quarterback Kyle McCord, linebacker Chance Campbell,

outside linebacker Patrick Johnson, and offensive lineman Holland Pierce. And like Sam, Jenkins,

and Patrick Johnson, Brandon has appeared in regular season games for the Eagles.

But before we look ahead, let's properly set the scene with some background.

Johnson comes from an athletic family. His father, Wayne, played football at Lenore Ryan College,

and his mother, Alanda, played basketball for the university, scoring over 1,000 career points

and finishing with the most steals in program history, according to Johnson's Oregon bio.

For reference, the college, located in Hickory, North Carolina, is less than 20 minutes from

Brandon Johnson's hometown of Newton, North Carolina.

Brandon emerged from Newton Conover High School as a three-star recruit and was heralded as one

of the more decorated cornerbacks in the country.

He landed on Duke University as his College of Choice, where he played from 2021 to

...