Transfer portal season is in full swing and Boston College has been busy. New general manager of Boston College football Kenyatta Watson has already made a big impact by receiving commitments from 13 transfers
and counting, including two quarterbacks. Niraj talked a bit about new transfer QB Mason McKenzie already, alongside edge rusher Demetrius Ballard and linebacker Anthony Palano, earlier this week. But now adding to that list is Grayson Wilson, a QB from Arkansas, two running backs, and more. Let’s get into it.
Grayson Wilson, QB transfer from Arkansas
McKenzie was reportedly told that the starting QB job was “his to lose”, so Wilson is going to be the guy that tries to take it from him. Wilson is a 6’3” redshirt freshman out of Arkansas that did not play for the Razorbacks in 2025. Out of high school, he was a 3-star recruit and a dual-threat quarterback that put up big numbers. 247Sports also reports that he has a long-time relationship with Boston College quarterbacks coach Jonathan DiBiaso. It seems most likely that McKenzie will be BC’s starter heading into the 2026 season, but Wilson is a great option to serve as a back-up or eventual starter.
Nolan Ray & Evan Dickens, RB transfers from Maryland and Liberty
Depth at running back was an issue for BC this past season, as Turbo Richard got the bulk of the Eagles’ carries as senior Jordan McDonald’s impact was more limited than expected. Now that Richard has gone off to Indiana, BC has brought in two promising backs that could lead an effective 1-2 punch in 2026. Dickens is a redshirt junior that put up some outstanding numbers at Liberty last season, running for 1,339 yards and 16 touchdowns. He comes from the C-USA, the same conference that former Eagle Kye Robichaux played in before having a terrific tenure on the Heights.
Ray is also a redshirt junior, transferring in from Maryland, a Big Ten program. Ray saw some playing time for the Terrapins over the past two seasons, but his production dropped from 2024 to 2025 and he entered the transfer portal looking for a greater opportunity. He’ll be sure to find it here in Chestnut Hill.
Jackson Wade & Javarius Green, WR transfers from Florida and UNC
With Lewis Bond graduating and Reed Harris headed to Arizona State, BC is also in need of some new wide receivers. They’ve found their first two in Wade and Green. Wade was a walk-on at Florida and didn’t receive much playing time in two seasons, only catching two passes in 16 total games. Green also was a victim of a deep depth chart at UNC, but did manage to make a limited impact for the Tarheels in 2025, catching 13 balls for 150 yards. Both will look to get more playing time for a BC WR unit that desperately needs some dudes.
Kristian Phillips & Reggie Jackson, OL transfers from Michigan State and Jackson State
The Boston College offensive line had plenty of struggles in 2025 and they are losing two of their key veteran stalwarts, Jude Bowry and Logan Taylor, along with a number of players who have entered the transfer portal. Phillips and Jackson are new names that will enter the fold at BC and could have an immediate impact. Phillips was a 3-star recruit out of high school before playing three seasons at Michigan State, making 4 starts last season up until an injury ended his year. Jackson, who has a name that BC Basketball fans will love, wasn’t a highly touted prospect out of high school, but found a crucial role at Jacksonville State. The junior established himself as the Gamecocks starting right tackle and didn’t let up a sack all season.
Additions on Defense
In addition to Palano and Ballard, who could be Day-1 starters, BC has also added Maryland cornerback Kevyn Humes, Alabama safety Kameron Howard, and Florida State defensive lineman KJ Sampson. Humes was a 4-star recruit out of high school that immediately saw playing time as a true freshman in 2024, but fell down the depth chart in 2025 and entered the transfer portal as a result.
Howard originally played for Charlotte before transferring to Alabama last season, but he only played in two games for the Crimson Tide before transferring again, this time to Boston College. His time at Charlotte was very solid, grabbing two INTs and playing plenty of snaps, but he just couldn’t seem to break into a regular for Bama. He is a redshirt sophomore.
Finally, the Seminoles are sending over Sampson, who got some playing time in 2025 but mostly served as a depth piece for their defensive line. He is an interior lineman that had a high pedigree coming out of high school, so BC will be looking to turn around the redshirt junior’s final few seasons.
The Eagles have had a lot of turnover on defense this offseason, losing almost all of their key contributors. Their additions in the portal so far are promising pieces to replace much of the depth that the Eagles have lost, but they are still missing any obvious “homerun” signing that could turn one of the ACC’s worst units into something respectable.
