Former Boston College Guard Overcomes Setback, Listed as NFL Starter: The Rundown

Battling a case of mononucleosis this time last year, former Boston College football guard Christian Mahogany could have easily seen his professional football dreams slip away.

The Detroit Lions drafted Mahogany in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, but Mahogany only fell to the later rounds because of an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear he sustained in 2022, prior to his final year on the Heights. Before then, Mahogany was valued as a top 2023 NFL Draft prospect.

Because of mono, Mahogany could not partake in the Lions’ 2024 training camp prior to his rookie season in the NFL. However, Mahogany didn’t just make the roster in 2024—he ended up suiting up by Week 12 after being placed on the NFI (non-football injury list) list until his practice window opened up around Week Five.

By Dec. 22, Mahogany was a starter due to injury, and he impressed with a 82.5 blocking grade from Pro Football Focus that week. He was the ninth best guard in the league that week by PFF as well.

After dominating 2025 training camp with a renewed vigor, Mahogany is now listed on Detroit’s depth chart as the starting left guard, alongside teammates Taylor Decker, Graham Glasgow, Tate Ratledge, and Penei Sewell, who, besides 2025 second-round pick Ratledge, all have at least three more years of professional experience than Mahogany.

Speaking to the local Detroit media in early August, Mahogany said experiencing training camp, officially, for the first time has been crucial.

"Now I feel so much more ahead in the playbook and being here physically in the meetings and being around the guys and playing with the guys and getting the reps,” Mahogany said. “It's just been so crucial.”

Detroit head coach Dan Campbell, who has taken the Lions from a nearly-winless franchise in 2021, when they went 3-13-1, to a perennial playoff contender in the NFC, said that Mahogany is on the right track in terms of his development, but he acknowledged the limited playing time the BC product has received so far.

"He's a young player that just needs reps and with every rep he gets better and better and better,” Campbell said. “And there's also going to be some things that happen, there's growing pains that comes with that, so the more reps we can get and we reach those standards, the better off we're going to be. It all starts at the front for us, everything does."

Mahogany always brought an attitude of nastiness with him to the field when he suited up in maroon and gold for the Eagles. He played with a chip on his shoulder because he was a under-recruited high school athlete and is relatively undersized for his position—Mahogany is just 6-foot-3, but he weighs 327 pounds.

That same tenacity Mahogany showcased at the collegiate level has translated well to the NFL, and now that it’s paid off, his confidence has only risen—even though he’s had confidence in himself all along.

"I wouldn't say my confidence has changed—I try to be the same every day," Mahogany said. "It doesn't matter, good play or bad play. It's the next play that matters. So, the confidence doesn't change. You can never be too high and can never be too low, so just stay steady."

Here's the Rundown for Sunday, August 24, 2025:

Sunday's Schedule:

Therewere no games scheduled.

Saturday's Results:

No games scheduled.

Countdown to Boston College football’s season opener:

6: Start holding your breath.

Did You Notice?

2026 BC football commits, and Catholic Memorial (West Roxbury, Mass.) seniors, Marcelino Antunes Jr. and Mac Fitzgerald spoke with Boston College Eagles On SI on Saturday following a three-way scrimmage with Everett and Central Catholic, including head coach John DiBiaso Sr., the father of BC quarterbacks coach John DiBiaso Jr.

.@CathMemKnights 🏈coach John DiBiaso on '26 BC football commits @MacFitzgerald07 / @MarcAntunes74:

"Marc is the foundation of the O line. We've got to control the line, and he's the leader of that group. Mac Fitzgerald is the leader of the defensive line. We're strong on both." pic.twitter.com/E1VNASezyK
— Graham Dietz (@graham_dietz) August 23, 2025

BC football commits SHOWED OUT in the first week of high school football all across the nation. You can see their full performances with this link.

Week 0 highlights 6 touchdowns
(5 passing, 1 rushing) @Rivals_HS @On3sports @BCFootball @LegendHSFB @Coach_JDiBiaso @ChadSimmons_ @247Sports @247recruiting @jtheaps9 pic.twitter.com/2qeoAxZrjp
— DJ Bordeaux (@__GoDJ__) August 23, 2025

Former BC football wide receiver Jerand Bradley caught a 65-yard touchdown reception in No. 17 Kansas State's loss to No. 22 Iowa State in the Aer Lingus Classic on Saturday.

IT'S A SECOND-HALF SLUGFEST IN DUBLIN 🥊@KStateFB swings right back as Avery Johnson zips it to Jerand Bradley for the 65-yard score.#Big12FB | 📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/D7ELyv1fhv
— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) August 23, 2025

Boston College Eagles Quote of the Day:

"There's nothing wrong with my language. It's how you're portrayed. I mean, they make you look like you swear a lot, but really, in reality, I don't really swear that much."

- Bill O'Brien

Social Media:

Check us out on...

X (formerly known as Twitter): @BostonCollegeSI
Facebook: Boston College Eagles on SI
YouTube: Boston College Eagles on SI
Threads: @BostonCollegeOnSI
Bluesky: @BostonCollegeOnSI.bsky.social