Patriots brass on hand as Ozzy Trapilo, Donovan Ezeiruaku lead Boston College Pro Day
All 32 NFL teams were at Boston College's Pro Day in Chestnut Hill on Monday. But only one NFL head coach addressed the players hoping to make it to the next level: Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel.
It's no surprise Vrabel gave all the NFL hopefuls some words of wisdom, given his relationship with Boston College head coach Bill O'Brien. It was O'Brien who gave Vrabel his first NFL job as a linebackers coach of the Houston Texans in 2014, and the two have been close ever since.
O'Brien has had Julian Edelman and Boston College legendary quarterback Matt Ryan address his Eagles in the past, and was grateful to have Vrabel do the same on Monday.
"He just gave his message of what it means to be a good teammate. What toughness is all about on the field, but also mental toughness off the field. You know, how you carry yourself off the field, being loyal to the program and loyal to what the mission is. He covered all those things and I really appreciate him doing that," said O'Brien.
Vrabel may have been the only NFL head coach in attendance, but he was not the only member of the Patriots brass at The Fish Field House. Executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf, vice president of player personnel Ryan Cowden, and offensive line coach Doug Marrone (who was a senior assistant at BC last year) were all on hand as 15 players from Boston College -- plus players from Bentley, Merrimack, and New Hampshire -- showed off their skills in hopes of improving their draft stock.
That every NFL team was at the showcase of Boston College's top talent is a sign of the progress from the program under O'Brien. The Eagles went 7-6 in O'Brien's first season on the sideline, and now have several players expected to hear their names when the NFL Draft gets underway on April 24.
Will any of those players be called by the Patriots? Don't be too surprised if Vrabel ends up drafting at least one former BC Eagle next month.
Ozzy Trapilo talks about possibly playing for Patriots
With a huge need at left tackle, there's a good chance the Patriots end up drafting versatile Boston College offensive lineman Ozzy Trapilo, who is a projected NFL starter and Day 2 pick. Donning a Patriots uniform would be a dream come true for the Norwell native, but he'll be happy to be drafted anywhere in April.
"It's cool to have everyone here. Great opportunity again to get in front of as many people as I can. I'm living the dream right now," Trapilo said Monday. "Yeah, I mean ... Look, I'm not allowed to have any bias, so I'm putting myself out there. Whoever wants me, I'm going to be the happiest guy in the world to go play the sport that I love."
O'Brien knows what Vrabel is looking for in his future players, and believes Trapilo fits the mold perfectly.
"Ozzy is the type of guy, he's the same guy every day. He never misses practice, is very tough, very talented, very smart. He will be excellent in the locker room, he'll do whatever the coaches ask him to do -- play left tackle, right tackle, he'd play guard if you ask him to," said O'Brien. "He always puts the team first and I think that is some of the things Mike is probably looking for in the draft. I don't think you could go wrong with Ozzy Trapilo."
Trapilo said he had a good conversation with Vrabel, but added he spoke with a bunch of teams on Monday.
Fellow BC offensive lineman and Norwell native Drew Kendall (who just wrapped up just junior year at BC) is best friends with Trapilo and also showcased his skills on Monday. He told reporters that both he and Trapilo have worked extensively with longtime Patriots offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia throughout the pre-draft process. Their training ahead of the Combine was focused on the drills they'd be doing in Indianapolis, but the linemen are now working with Scarnecchia twice a week doing O-line drills to get them into their best football shape.
"It's been awesome. He is a Patriots and NFL legend, an offensive line guru," said Kendall. "Been working on a lot of things he saw in my game that I need to focus on. ... Wherever you go in the NFL, coaches are going to ask you to do certain things, so it's important that you're learning. And I'm learning from Dante."
Donovan Ezeiruaku believes he'll be a first-round pick
On the defensive side of the ball, Donovan Ezeiruaku will look to destroy offensive lines at the NFL level next season. The Eagles edge rusher was the ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2024 after he racked up 16.5 sacks (the second-most in college football) and a team-best three forced fumbles.
"I can't wait to hear my name on draft day," Ezeiruaku said Monday.
He didn't work out at BC's Pro Day, though Ezeiruaku spoke with a number of teams and believes he'll be drafted in the first round on April 24. But that isn't going to change his approach throughout the pre-draft process.
"It's very exciting. At the same time, I still come in every single day and workout and do my thing," he said. "I'm still trying to embrace this moment and enjoy it. Not look too far ahead at the draft, but I got visits and interviews and Zooms, and I got everything coming up. Just trying to embrace it and take everything one step at a time."
A team captain for the Eagles last season, O'Brien is excited to see what his dominant defensive player can do at the NFL level.
"Donovan is, first of all, a bright guy and a great teammate. A unanimous captain; the whole team voted him to be a captain. He has an excellent take-off from the line of scrimmage, and really did a great job of developing his pass-rush skills this last year," said O'Brien, who revealed that Marrone worked with Ezeiruaku in 2024 to help him hone his skills. "He did an unbelievable job and never gave up. He actually won us a couple games single-handedly by sacking the quarterback, creating turnovers and things. I can't say enough great things about Donovan."
