Chestnut Hill, MA — The football pipeline from Chestnut Hill to Foxborough is alive and well.

On Monday, 10 staffers from the Patriots attended Boston College's Pro Day, where all 32 teams were present to see draft hopefuls such as EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku and OT Ozzy Trapilo. With head coach Bill O'Brien running the football program at Boston College, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel, EVP of Player Personnel Eliot Wolf, VP of Player Personnel Ryan Cowden, and offensive line coach Doug Marrone were among those in attendance.

O'Brien and Vrabel's friendship goes back years, with the Patriots former offensive coordinator giving Vrabel his first coaching job in the NFL as the Texans linebackers coach (2014-17). Along with the Vrabel-O'Brien connection, Patriots offensive line coach Doug Marrone was a Senior Analyst for Football Strategy at Boston College in 2024. Boston College chief of staff Berj Najarian, who worked for former head coach Bill Belichick for 24 seasons, is another tie between the Pats and BC.

Given the numerous connections between the two programs, it wasn't surprising that Boston College's Pro Day was a Patriots palooza. According to O'Brien, Vrabel addressed the team before Monday's workout for draft-eligible Eagles and had a familiar message for the student-athletes.

"It helps us obviously at BC quite a bit to have Mike [Vrabel] and his staff right down the road. Great connection between myself, Mike, Coach Marrone, Coach McDaniels, and a lot of guys on the staff there," O'Brien said. "Mike spoke to our team this morning, which was fantastic, and we really appreciate that. It's going to be great to have those guys with the Patriots now and have that connection.

"[Vrabel] 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. How you carry yourself off the field, being loyal to the program, being loyal to what the mission is," O'Brien said of Vrabel's speech. "I know that Mike will put a premium on who comes into that locker room."

The current Patriots connections to Chestnut Hill don't make it a lock that New England will draft someone from Boston College. However, the Eagles have multiple intriguing prospects at positions of need. Ezeiruaku, a projected first-round pick, is the top prospect coming out of BC this cycle. However, center Drew Kendall and Trapilo also have draftable grades, with Trapilo projected to be selected on day two.

After spending the afternoon in Chestnut Hill, here are five takeaways from Boston College's Pro Day.

1. Bill O'Brien Dishes on Pats OL Coach Doug Marrone

Although the two head coaches are close, nobody goes back further than O'Brien and Marrone. The two first met when O'Brien was a graduate assistant and Marrone was the tight ends coach at Georgia Tech in the mid-1990s. As mentioned, Marrone was on staff at Boston College for the 2024 season, with O'Brien noting that Marrone worked closely with Ezeiruaku over the last year. During his media availability, we asked O'Brien about the type of coach the Patriots are getting in Marrone.

"They're getting a very smart guy, a very knowledgeable guy, a guy that can connect with his players, a guy that will do a really good job of understanding the talent that he has, and evaluating the talent that's out there to help Mike [Vrabel] bring in a good offensive line, O'Brien said. "I think Mike made a great choice in hiring him."

New England is hoping that Marrone's experience coaching the offensive line will bring out the best in a unit that struggled last season. O'Brien noting Marrone's ability to evaluate offensive line talent is also interesting. Along with knowing the Boston College linemen inside and out, Marrone could have a voice in stacking the Patriots board at a critical position of need.

Despite being at Boston College last season, Marrone was locked in on the positional drills for the offensive linemen on Monday, including putting Trapilo through an extra drill at the end of his workout.

2. EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku Eyes the First Round of the 2025 NFL Draft

With the first round in play for the talented edge rusher, Ezeiruaku didn't work out on Monday after participating in the combine and Senior Bowl.

Although we didn't get an official 40-yard dash from Ezeiruaku, he tested well in the jumps and posted an elite 6.94-second three-cone time. That explosiveness off the ball and short-area quickness are all over his tape, with Ezeiruaku finishing second in the nation with 16.5 sacks last season. O'Brien added that his teammates unanimously voted Ezeiruaku as a team captain. He has excellent tape and high football character, which is why Ezeiruaku could go as early as the top 20 in April's draft.

"It's gonna be a very exciting moment on April 24th or whatever day it is. I really can't wait," Ezeiruaku said. "I feel good (about going in the first round). At the same time, anywhere is a blessing. 24th or 25th whatever the case may be, as long as my foot is in the door."

As a projected mid-to-late first-rounder, Ezeiruaku hasn't spent much time with the Patriots during the pre-draft process. At one point, he might've been a possibility for New England at No. 38, but Ezeiruaku has solidified himself as a first-round pick.

3. Is OT Ozzy Trapilo a Day-Two Patriots Target?

For the offensive tackle-needy Patriots, the most intriguing prospect participating in BC's draft showcase was the local product from Norwell, Massachusetts.

Trapilo is a native of Massachusetts who attended both BC High School and Boston College. The towering 6-foot-8, 316-pound offensive tackle is a projected day-two draft pick. He combines his ideal measurables with polished technique as a skilled hand-fighter who can move the line of scrimmage and derail rushers off their tracks with stiff independent hand usage. Trapilo has also been working with Patriots Hall of Famer Dante Scarnecchia to fine-tune his game for the NFL.

On Monday, Trapilo was a focus for the Patriots brass in attendance. From this perspective, Trapilo projects mostly as a right tackle, which could be a snag in him ending up in New England after they signed free-agent RT Morgan Moses and drafted second-year OT Caedan Wallace in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft as primarily a right tackle. Still, given the lengthy connections to the team, the Patriots will have great intel on Trapilo. Trapilo and fellow Massachusetts product Drew Kendall have worked with Scarnecchia for the last few months. The Boston College duo plans on continuing their work with the legendary Patriots coach until an NFL team drafts them.

"That's an incredible opportunity. His resume doesn't lie. He's a fantastic coach, so being able to work with him means a lot. He has taught me a lot of stuff. Every O-Line coach is going to have their own techniques and what they believe. He does a great job of saying this is what he teaches, and we run through it. But he also says the second you get to a team, that O-Line coach is going to have what he does," Trapilo said. "Truly a great opportunity to work with him these last few months."

Most pundits believe that Trapilo will come off the board in the third round of April's draft, making him a possibility for the Patriots at pick No. 69 or No. 77. He's a well-rounded prospect, but his projection for New England might depend on if the Pats believe he can play on the left side.

On what it would mean to him to be drafted by the Patriots, Trapilo said, "Look, I'm not allowed to have any biases? Whoever wants me, I'm going to be the happiest guy in the world."

4. BC C Drew Kendall a Possibility for the Patriots on Day Three

The other local connection who could make sense for the Patriots is center Drew Kendall, who started 37 career games at the pivot for Boston College.

Kendall was an AP's First-team All-ACC selection following a standout 2024 season. The experienced center is known for his athleticism, ability to sustain blocks and smarts. After releasing longtime center David Andrews earlier this month, the Pats could be in the center market, with Kendall considered to be a day-three option. The Massachusetts native who attended Noble and Greenough High School before following Trapilo to Boston College is also working with Scarnecchia this offseason.

"I'd be happy anywhere. Just need that opportunity and make the most of it. But it would definitely be really special [to play for the Patriots]. I grew up about 40 minutes away from Foxborough, so it would be a really cool experience," Kendall said. "[Vrabel] came up to me at the end and said good job, shook my hand. It's awesome. It's a good thing that he's here."

Given that the Patriots are re-installing OC Josh McDaniels's system, which has similarities to O'Brien's offense, it would make sense for Kendall to be on New England's radar.

5. Other Standouts From BC's Pro Day

A few other prospects caught this scribe's eye during Monday's showcase. First, Vrabel seemed to show support for running backs Kye Robichaux and Treshaun Ward after their workouts. Both are considered late day-three or even undrafted free-agent candidates. Still, the Patriots could be adding to their running back room in a draft filled with talent at the position to push lead-back Rhamondre Stevenson.

The other offensive lineman who stood out was T/G Jack Conley. Conley is a late-rounder with the upside to be a backup at multiple positions. His size and versatility while working at four different spots on the line were notable. Lastly, Boston College LB Kam Arnold could be a deep sleeper in this draft class. He has a versatile skill set at 6-2, 235 pounds. Arnold started his collegiate career as a safety before moving to linebacker, so he has the size to play in the box with the coverage skills of a safety.

DISCLAIMER: The views and thoughts expressed in this article are those of the writer and don't necessarily reflect those of the organization. Read Full Disclaimer