As their scouting reports indicate, the Boston College Eagles are set to send a bevy of players into the 2022 NFL Draft. Headlining the group is none other than Zion Johnson, who is vying to be the first interior lineman selected. Alongside Johnson, talented players in Alec Lindstrom, Ben Petrula, Trae Barry, and Brandon Sebastian are just some of the names to know. Here are the full scouting reports from Boston College with eyes on the 2022 NFL Draft.
Boston College 2022 NFL Draft Scouting Reports
Johnson could very well be the first guard selected and is vying with Iowa’s Tyler Linderbaum to be the first interior lineman selected. Sebastian was a productive cornerback best-known for his game-winning interception against Missouri this past season. Barry played BC in 2021 after transferring from Jacksonville State.
Alec Lindstrom, C
Positives: Tough, hard-working center who is best in a small area. Quickly sets up off the snap, stays square, and gets his hands into defenders to steer them from the action. Keeps his head on a swivel, stays with assignments, and attacks opponents. Explosive, works blocks hard, and always looks for someone to hit. Keeps his head on a swivel and effectively quarterbacks the offensive line.
Negatives: Lacks balance and falls off defenders rather than finishing blocks. Not a super mobile lineman.
Analysis: Lindstrom is a tough, instinctive blocker who gets the most from his ability but lacks great upside. He’s a Day 3 pick who will do well backing up at the next level.
Want more information on Lindstrom? Here’s our expanded scouting report and draft profile: Alec Lindstrom, Boston College C | NFL Draft Scouting Report
Ben Petrula, OL
Positives: Large college tackle who is best in a small area. Big, strong, and explosive. Fires off the snap into blocks, keeps his feet moving, and easily seals defenders from the action. Stays square, works to bend his knees, and keeps his feet moving. Effective run blocker who drives opponents off the line, turns them from the action, and seals them from plays. Works to bend his knees.
Negatives: Lacks quick and fluid footwork off the edge. Not light on his feet and cannot redirect to linebackers on the second level. Lack of agility hurts his ability to finish blocks.
Analysis: Petrula was a durable and productive college right tackle, but he has athletic limitations for the NFL. He’s a big-bodied interior blocker who must play in a power-gap scheme.
Brandon Barlow, DE
Positives: Undersized college defensive end who can be used out of a three-point stance or standing over tackle. Breaks down well and effectively fights with his hands to protect himself. Fluid moving about the field and gives effort. Easily changes direction and alters his angle of attack. Plays with outstanding pad level, keeps his feet moving, and chases the action hard.
Negatives: Consistently out-positioned from the action by a single opponent. Does not show much pursuit speed or a closing burst. Minimal athleticism.
Analysis: Barlow is a smart and tough defensive front-seven prospect who comes with poor size, poor speed, and minimal upside.
Brandon Sebastian, CB
Positives: Sometimes-dominant cornerback who is quick pedaling in reverse and smooth in transition. Battles to break up throws. Physical, mixes it up with receivers throughout the route, and is very effective facing the action. Stays with assignments, tracks the pass in the air, and gets vertical to snatch the ball away from receivers. Stays on the receiver’s hip out of breaks and has a nice move to the throw.
Negatives: Inconsistent. Shows indecision in his game and isn’t quick reacting to receivers off the line. Inconsistent. Must clean up his backpedal.
Analysis: Sebastian showed me a lot of ability and upside potential as a sophomore, yet he failed to meet my expectations after that. He possesses solid size as well as the ball skills to play in a zone system or backed off the line of scrimmage, but Sebastian must show up on every play.
Isaiah Graham-Mobley, LB
Positives: Athletic linebacker who has flashed next-level ability since his sophomore season at Temple. Breaks down well, moves fluidly in every direction, and shows speed in pursuit. Explosive, fires up the field, and quickly collapses outside the numbers to get to the flanks. Patient, correctly diagnoses plays, and goes all out to make tackles. Immediately locates the ball handler and shows good awareness. Effectively quarterbacks the defense and gets his teammates in proper position.
Negatives: Streaky and disappears for long stretches. Lacks size, struggles taking on blocks, and is more of a drag-down tackler.
Analysis: Graham-Mobley’s athleticism and explosion made him stand out on film early in his college career, but he never truly took his game to the next level. He possesses a great amount of upside on the inside of a 3-4 or even as a traditional weakside linebacker. Graham-Mobley could develop into a backup on Sundays, though he may have to spend a season or two on the practice squad.
T.J. Rayam, DT
Positives: Fiery, resilient lineman who projects as a 3-technique tackle. Agile, plays with terrific pad level, and fires off the snap with an explosive first step. Effectively uses his hands to protect himself, easily changes direction, and moves well for a big man. Plays tough football and correctly reads and diagnoses plays.
Negatives: Lacks bulk and is easily out-positioned from the action. Poor pass rusher.
Analysis: Rayam is a hard-working lineman who has size and growth limitations. He’s limited to a one-gap scheme and does not come with much upside.
Trae Barry, TE
Positives: Tall, somewhat athletic tight end who flashes dominance. Quick and fluid releasing off the line into pass routes, nicely adjusts to errant throws, and makes tough catches in the middle of the field. Gets vertical, high-points the ball over opponents, and displays good eye/hand coordination.
Terrific pass catcher who tracks the pass in the air, extends his hands, and possesses soft, strong hands. Displays excellent blocking vision, stays square, and fires off the snap into blocks. Very effective blocking in motion.
Negatives: Plays to one speed and isn’t as fast as his 40 time. Was not overly active in the Boston College offense last season after transferring from Jacksonville State.
Analysis: Early in his Jacksonville State career, I identified Barry as a next-level tight end. He missed a full season with a knee injury and seemingly returned to full strength in 2020 before transferring to Boston College. He’s a long tight end with growth potential as well as terrific pass-catching skills. Barry could develop into the third tight end on the depth chart.
Want more information on Barry? Here’s our expanded scouting report and draft profile: Trae Barry, Boston College TE | NFL Draft Scouting Report
Tyler Vrabel, OT
Positives: Hard-working left tackle who fires off the snap, sets with a wide base, and keeps his feet moving. Stays square, fires his hands into defenders, and gets leverage on opponents. Strong enough to turn defenders from the line run blocking, seals opponents from the action, and works through the whistle. Moves relatively well, fires out to the second level, and knocks linebackers from their angles of attack.
Negatives: Inconsistent and displays average footwork in pass protection. Struggles finishing blocks. Ducks his head and overextends, which hurts his ability to finish off opponents.
Analysis: Vrabel is a nice-sized college tackle with excellent bloodlines. He offers an upside, though he’d be better off at right tackle in the NFL and may even kick inside to guard.
Zion Johnson, OL
Positives: Versatile offensive lineman who has been shooting up draft boards. Nasty, has a wide-bodied build, and looks to erase defenders from the action. Blocks with proper lean, stays square, and anchors at the point. Moves well about the field, fires out to the second level, and squares into linebackers to remove them from the action. Strong at the point and gets movement run blocking. Fundamentally sound, adjusts to pick up stunts and blitzes, and always looks for someone to hit. Shows outstanding awareness.
Negatives: Saw action at left tackle throughout his Boston College career but lacks great footwork off the edge. Must do a better job of properly placing his hands into defenders.
Analysis: Many were surprised when Johnson chose to return for a second senior season in 2021, but he had a terrific campaign and shined during Senior Bowl practices. Johnson is athletic as well as versatile and offers possibilities at guard or center on Sundays. Additionally, he can fill in at left tackle in a pinch.
Want more information on Johnson? Here’s our expanded scouting report and draft profile: Zion Johnson, Boston College G | NFL Draft Scouting Report