The 6-6 Boston College Eagles will play the 11-2 SMU Mustangs in the 2023 Fenway Bowl. How many NFL Draft prospects will play in this game, and what are their projections at the next level?
Fenway Bowl Prospect Preview
SMU beat Tulane in the American Athletic Conference Championship, and they’ll now look to end their season on a high note with a Power Five victory against Boston College.
The Eagles, under Jeff Hafley, have a lot to look forward to for the 2024 season. They’ve already scored a few wins in the transfer portal. But in the meantime, do they have the talent to contend with a strong SMU squad?
Boston College NFL Draft Prospects
Christian Mahogany, G
Christian Mahogany missed the entire 2022 season due to injury but returned with a vengeance in 2023, earning first-team All-ACC honors. He didn’t let a torn ACL slow him down, and in fact, put on some of his best 2024 NFL Draft tape yet.
At 6’3″, 322 pounds, Mahogany is an absolute mauler, both off the snap and at the second level. He has enough burst and quickness to reach his marks, square up defenders, and drive through opponents with devastating power and tenacity.
Elijah Jones, CB
Elijah Jones won’t be playing in the Fenway Bowl, but for NFL Draft junkies looking for Boston College prospects to familiarize themselves with, Jones should be on your list. Jones was one of the best CBs in college football this year, with five picks and eight pass breakups.
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At 6’2″, 184 pounds, Jones is a long-striding athlete with exceptional functional athleticism and sink for his size, but he routinely made plays in 2023 with his terse physicality, spatial awareness, vision, route recognition ability, and proactivity as a playmaker.
Ozzy Trapilo, OT
Ozzy Trapilo could very well stay in school, but even if he does, he’s a name to watch for the 2024 NFL Draft cycle. The 6’8″, 313-pound right tackle earned second-team All-ACC honors in 2023, performing at a high level on the Eagles’ front. At his size, he can be prone to lurches at times, but he’s a good functional athlete with finishing ability.
SMU NFL Draft Prospects
R.J. Maryland, TE (2025)
SMU has plenty of potential sleeper talent in the 2024 NFL Draft cycle, but the team’s best prospect won’t be eligible until the 2025 NFL Draft cycle.
Dynamic tight end R.J. Maryland has 34 catches for 518 yards and seven touchdowns heading into bowl season. At 6’4″, 233 pounds, Maryland is an extremely explosive athlete who can glide up seams, extend beyond his frame, and churn out RAC yards with steely contact balance.
In a way-too-early PFN 2-Round 2025 NFL Mock Draft written in late November, Maryland was selected 53rd overall by the New York Jets.
Elijah Chatman, DT
Elijah Chatman has been a fixture on SMU’s defensive line for over five years. At 6’0″, 278 pounds, Chatman is the quintessential sawed-off interior lineman, and despite his size, he’s a mammoth block disruptor. Per Bruce Feldman, Chatman can stack up 42 reps of 225 pounds at the bench press.
Chatman’s otherworldly and impressive strength are his explosiveness and torque when attacking blocks 1-on-1. Chatman logged 13.5 sacks and 32 tackles for loss in his time with the Mustangs and could be a late-round or PFA gem.
Elijah Roberts, DL
Elijah Roberts became a transfer portal gem for SMU after coming to Dallas from Miami. The 6’4″, 278-pound lineman has 10 sacks, 11.5 TFLs, three pass breakups, and two forced fumbles this year, and scored 1.5 sacks in the team’s conference title victory over Tulane. Roberts’ power profile and alignment versatility should generate interest if he declares.
Marcus Bryant, OT
The SMU offensive line had multiple first-team All-AAC competitors in 2023. Marcus Bryant was perhaps the most imposing — a 6’8″, 315-pound monolith at left tackle. Bryant isn’t incredibly nimble or flexible, but what he lacks in malleability, he makes up for with length, punch power, and suffocating grip strength.