It has been 15 seasons since Boston College last finished with a winning record in conference play, 17 seasons since its win total reached double digits, and 40 seasons since they ended a year inside the AP top-five (thanks to Heisman Trophy winner, Doug Flutie).
After Jeff Hafley decided an opportunity to join the NFL’s Green Bay Packers was too much to pass on, Boston native Bill O’Brien stepped in to inherit an Eagles team that would have excelled last season only if the forward pass had not yet been invented (96th in passing yards per attempt, 93rd in opponent passing yards per attempt).
Here are Boston College’s top 10 returning players hoping to make an impression in the 2024 college football season.
Boston College Eagles Top 10 Returning Players in 2024
10) Drew Kendall, OC
Entering his third season as the starting center, Drew Kendall was the anchor of a Boston College offensive line that ranked 13th in the FBS and second in the ACC in rushing yards per game (198.8). The son of a former first-round pick in the 1996 NFL Draft, Pete Kendall, Drew played every single snap in 10 of BC’s 13 games in 2023.
9) Jerand Bradley, WR
A transfer from Texas Tech, Jerand Bradley burst onto the college football scene in 2022 by becoming the sixth freshman in program history to lead the team in receiving yards. Despite a down season as a sophomore, the 6’5″, 222-pound newcomer has the frame to be a crucial target for the Eagles, particularly in the red zone.
8) Treshaun Ward, RB
Treshaun Ward arrives in Chestnut Hill, Mass., by way of both Kansas State and Florida State to give the Eagles depth at the running back spot. Any player who has scored at least five touchdowns from scrimmage in each of the past three seasons — at two different schools — has the playmaking ability that is hard to take off the field.
7) Cam Horsley, DT
Cam Horsley has 48 collegiate games, including 35 starts, under his belt as he enters the 2024 season. He was fifth on the team with 41 total tackles last season including three tackles for loss and three pass breakups. However, his best strength comes in the form of using his 300+ pound frame to stuff the run.
6) Kam Arnold, LB
While Kam Arnold might not be as productive as some BC linebacker legends before him such as Luke Kuechly and Mark Herzlich, he did rank third on the team with 66 tackles in 2023, which included three tackles for loss, three pass breakups, and a forced fumble. Arnold was named Defensive MVP of the Wasabi Fenway Bowl with six tackles and a sack against SMU.
5) Lewis Bond, WR
Boston College’s leading returning wide receiver, Lewis Bond, finished the 2023 season with 52 catches for 646 yards and seven touchdowns. He has shown good speed with the ball in his hand and the ability to break tackles when necessary. Considering Bond had not found the end zone once in his first two seasons on campus, the improvement last season should make Eagles fans excited for what lies ahead.
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4) Donovan Ezeiruaku, DE
A run-stuffer off the end to complement Horsley, Donovan Ezeiruaku started all 13 games for the Eagles last season while ranking fourth on the team with 53 total tackles, including 6.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, and two forced fumbles. His ability to rush the passer is untapped considering he also had seven quarterback hurries.
3) Ozzy Trapilo, OT
Ozzy Trapilo is Boston College’s best NFL prospect at 6’8″ and 310 pounds; he started all 12 games for BC last season at right tackle and did not allow a sack in 363 dropback snaps. The product out of Boston College High School in Norwell, Mass., was an All-ACC Second Team selection in 2023 as a junior.
2) Kye Robichaux, RB
Boston College’s leading running back, Kye Robichaux, should be the main course in a two-headed monster with Ward that gives BC a much stronger ground attack than in years past. Robichaux saw the bulk of the carries last season, finishing with eight touchdowns after he transferred to Chestnut Hill from Western Kentucky.
1) Thomas Castellanos, QB
Castellanos was one of two ACC quarterbacks to produce 15 passing touchdowns and 10 rushing touchdowns last season (Georgia Tech’s Haynes King was the other). The interceptions were an issue (he was second in the ACC with 14) as were the 20 sacks he took, but any player who is the first in school history to produce 2,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards in the same season is certainly one to take notice of.
He is one of the team’s most electric playmakers, especially outside of the pocket, where his ability to move the offense will dictate just how successful O’Brien’s first season at Boston College will be.