Boston College Professional Athletes

Boston College Eagles in the NFL | Week of Aug. 23–29

Two Boston College alumni found themselves on opposite ends of the NFL preseason spectrum this week — one turning heads on the field, the other packing his locker.

Hunter Long Makes His Case in Jacksonville

Tight end Hunter Long gave Jacksonville Jaguars fans something to talk about in the team's preseason shutout of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Long paced the Jaguars' receiving room with two catches for 47 yards as Jacksonville rolled to a 19-0 win, with Carter Bradley adding a touchdown throw through the air. For a tight end competing for roster real estate, a performance that leads the team in receiving yards — even in August — is exactly the kind of statement that sticks with coaches during final cuts. Long continues to make a case for himself as a reliable option in Jacksonville's TE room.

Will Harris Cut Loose by Washington

The news was less encouraging for safety Will Harris. The Commanders released the Boston College product as Washington finalized a series of roster moves that included signing linebacker Boogie Basham and placing LB Drake Jackson on injured reserve. Harris had appeared in Washington's preseason Week 2 activities, drawing mention in the team's internal notes, but it wasn't enough to hold his spot on the roster. The move ends Harris's run with Washington and leaves him looking for a new home as teams around the league trim toward their 53-man rosters.

The Bigger Picture

The contrasting fortunes of Long and Harris capture the brutal arithmetic of late August in the NFL. Long's 47-yard showing keeps him in the conversation at a position where teams are always hunting for a pass-catching weapon they can trust. Harris, a veteran safety who has bounced between rosters, now faces the familiar scramble of free agency timing — released just as squads are locking in.

Beyond the two headliners, Boston College has one of the deeper alumni footprints in the league. Chris Lindstrom remains entrenched as one of the better guards in the NFC with Atlanta, Zay Flowers enters his third season as a key piece of Baltimore's passing attack, and Harold Landry III joins the Patriots as New England continues its roster rebuild. Matt Milano, when healthy, gives Buffalo one of the sharper linebacker minds in the AFC. The Eagles' pipeline runs deep — Long and Harris are just the latest names navigating the league's most unforgiving time of year.

BC Alumni Making Noise in NFL Preseason

Two Boston College alumni grabbed NFL headlines this week for very different reasons — one signaling a clean bill of health, the other getting thrown out of a joint practice before it was over.

Trapilo Is Back in Chicago

The Bears got a significant boost to their offensive line when they activated left tackle Ozzy Trapilo from the active/physically unable to perform list, ending what had been an uncertain start to his preseason. Trapilo, a 2024 second-round pick out of BC, had been sidelined since the start of camp, leaving Chicago's offensive line depth in flux heading into the exhibition schedule.

His return is no small thing for the Bears. Trapilo had been building toward a starting role on the left side, and getting him back on the field — and on tape — before the regular season opens is exactly the kind of development Chicago needed. Video from practice circulated quickly after the activation was announced, suggesting he picked up without missing much of a beat. The Bears will want to see him log snaps and shake off the rust before Week 1 decisions have to be made.

Ezeiruaku Ejected from Saints Scrimmage

Down in Dallas, Cowboys pass rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku had a preseason moment he'd probably rather forget — and one the Cowboys coaching staff will need to address. The 2025 first-round pick was ejected from the Cowboys' joint practice scrimmage against the Saints after an altercation escalated to the point where officials had no choice but to remove him.

Joint practices are notoriously chippy — offensive and defensive players going against unfamiliar opponents in full pads without the release valve of an actual game tends to generate heat. But getting thrown out is a line that coaches notice. Ezeiruaku arrived in Dallas as one of the draft's most decorated edge rushers. The Cowboys are counting on him to contribute as a pass rush weapon early in his career. Losing your composure in a controlled preseason setting isn't the headline a rookie wants.

It's worth watching how Dallas responds — whether this draws a fine, a reduced role in the next preseason game, or simply a closed-door conversation. For a team with legitimate playoff aspirations, keeping one of its most promising young defenders disciplined and available is non-negotiable.

Flowers Cracks the NFL Top 100

On a quieter note, Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers earned a spot on the NFL's Top 100 players list for 2026, checking in at No. 100 on the peer-voted rankings. It's a nod to the BC product's emergence as one of Baltimore's top offensive weapons — though the Ravens fanbase has had bigger bones to pick with the list after Lamar Jackson landed at a surprising No. 69.

Three BC alumni, three very different stories. Trapilo's return gives Bears fans something to feel good about. Ezeiruaku's ejection is a yellow flag on an otherwise promising young career. And Flowers' Top 100 nod is quiet validation for a receiver who's quietly become one of the league's more reliable weapons out of the slot.

Boston College has never been short on NFL talent, but the week of Aug. 9–15 offered a rare convergence: three Eagles alumni generating legitimate buzz across three different franchises — and not just for depth chart trivia.

Zay Flowers, $140M Man, Survives Early Scare

The biggest storyline started with the biggest number. Days after Zay Flowers signed a $140 million contract with the Baltimore Ravens, the wide receiver limped off the field during 7-on-7 drills after colliding with safety Jaylinn Hawkins while running over the middle. For a franchise-altering investment signed that recently, the optics were about as bad as they get.

The good news arrived quickly. Flowers returned to Ravens practice shortly after the scare, offering Baltimore — and its fanbase — a collective exhale. The full details of the injury haven't been disclosed, but his return to the field dampened what could have been an ugly early chapter on a landmark deal. For BC fans, it's a reminder of just how far Flowers has come from Chestnut Hill: he's now the kind of player whose practice rep absences move the needle nationally.

Ozzy Trapilo: Bears Counting the Days

In Chicago, left tackle Ozzy Trapilo is working his way back from an injury that sidelined him during camp — and the Bears' timeline is cautiously optimistic. Reports indicate Trapilo could return before training camp concludes, though unexpected news about his status surfaced mid-week, keeping the situation fluid.

For a Bears offensive line that has invested significantly in protecting its quarterback, Trapilo's availability matters. He's the kind of foundational piece that doesn't show up on a highlight reel but whose absence is felt immediately. A return before the preseason calendar fills up would give Chicago's first-team line critical reps together — something every coaching staff covets heading into September.

Drew Kendall's Stock Is Rising in Philly

Perhaps the cleanest story of the three belongs to Drew Kendall. The second-year center is earning rising stock at Eagles training camp in 2026, stepping into what's described as an increasingly important role for Philadelphia's offense.

Kendall's trajectory fits a familiar BC-to-NFL arc: an under-the-radar prospect who arrives, puts in the work, and forces his way into the conversation. Centers rarely make headlines in August, but when a young lineman starts drawing that kind of editorial attention at camp, it usually means coaches are seeing something real. Eagles fans have reason to watch this one closely as the preseason unfolds.

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Three players, three teams, three distinct narratives — but the throughline is the same. Boston College continues to punch above its recruiting weight in producing NFL-caliber linemen and skill-position players alike. The week of Aug. 9 was a reminder that the pipeline from Chestnut Hill to professional rosters remains as active as ever.