The portal has opened up, and Bill O’Brien has landed two new commitments on the defensive side while largely avoiding any major transfers out the door.
Linebacker Jason Hewlett is a sophomore coming in from Michigan. On the defensive line, Chris Marable Jr. arrives from ACC rival Wake Forest. The South Carolina native will be a redshirt-sophomore in the upcoming season.
Hewlett was four-star prospect coming out of Youngstown, Ohio. He has an offer from BC back in 2021/2 among many other programs. He had experience at multiple positions in high school and his strength and speed were major pluses in his recruitment. The 6-2, 227 pound athlete redshirted in 2023, and then appeared in nine games last season. He recorded three tackles against Northwestern, but overall didn’t find enough opportunity in a deep Michigan defense. 247 had him as the 5th ranked linebacker available in the portal. Virginia Tech, among others were recruiting him heavily. For the Eagles, linebacker is one of the few places O’Brien has been clear this offseason is a position of need for depth with a number of guys unable to participate in spring practices. Hewlett should come in and immediately be able to compete.
The 6-3, 293 pound Marable was a three-star coming out. In this redshirt freshman season, he saw action in five games, and logged a tackle in two games against Clemson and Ole Miss. In his true freshman season he only saw action against Syracuse. He had offers from many of the usuals including FSU, Georgia Tech, and Va Tech. He comes in and adds depth and youth to BC’s defensive tackle group.
Both guys are starting anew still quite early in their college careers with three years of eligibility remaining. They hit at key positions for BC. Welcome to the Heights!
As reported over the past few weeks, quarterback Jacobe Robinson, OL Otto Hess, and DB Jalon Williams have entered the portal. Robinson makes sense with a crowded QB room, while Hess and Williams are nearing the end of their careers looking to get regular playing time. Best of luck to these three.