Boston College Football 2026 Top 20 Player Rankings: No. 11
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There are 29 days until Boston College football opens up its 2026 campaign on the road against Cincinnati, and Boston College Eagles On SI has you covered on all angles of the program heading into year three of the Bill O’Brien era.
That also includes a ranking of BC’s top 20 players heading into this season.
This next player has arguably received the most praise from O’Brien in terms of offensive linemen who have not fully reached their potential yet. He is expected to become a full-time starter as an interior lineman after making five starts as a true freshman in 2025.
That player is…
No. 11: Sophomore OL Robert Smith IV
A former three-star recruit by ESPN, Rivals, 247Sports, and On3, the Cleveland, Ohio native joined the program in time for spring ball after the 2025 season came to a conclusion, and he immediately showed that he possessed starter potential.
That eventually panned out for him this past season, as the 6-foot-4, 315-pound guard filled into the starting rotation on five occasions and made eight total appearances.
Smith made his first start at right guard against California on Sept. 27, 2025, paving the way for running back Turbo Richard’s career-high 171 yards and two scores on the ground. In his second career start, against UConn, the Eagles’ backfield combined for 191 rushing yards.
Smith ended up switching between left and right guard over his next three starts, against Louisville, Notre Dame, and Georgia Tech, respectively, which shined light on his versatility and grasp of handling multiple positions in the trenches.
Before coming to the Heights, the Villa Angela-St. Joseph School product was ranked 111th nationally at his position, per 247Sports, and he picked up First Team All-District honors after his senior campaign.
Last season, BC’s offensive line allowed 34 sacks (2.83 per game) for 212 yards lost, including 72 tackles for loss (6 per game) for a loss of 303 yards, which both ranked near the bottom of FBS. And compared to O’Brien’s first year and most of Jeff Hafley’s tenure, the run game’s performance was also suboptimal, which is typically what BC prides itself on as a program that consistently produces NFL talent from its O-line ranks.
If the Eagles want to reclaim their slogan of “O-line U,” Smith will need to take part in that resurrection, and he is certainly fit to do so this year.
Meet the Player: Robert Smith IV
Position: Offensive guard
Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio
High School: Villa Angela-St. Joseph School
Height: 6’4”
Weight: 315 lbs.
Number: 55
Additional info: Smith has already grown an inch since the beginning of his career on the Heights.
This is the 10th story in Boston College Eagles On SI's summer preview series of Boston College football's top 20 players (and honorable mentions) heading into the program's third year under head coach Bill O'Brien. Ensuing stories will be published throughout August.
Top 20:
11. So. OL Rob Smith IV
12. So. RB Bo MacCormack III
13. R-So. LB Bodie Kahoun
14. R-So. CB Syair Torrence
15. R-So. DE Demetrius Ballard
16. Sr. CB Max Tucker
17. R-Jr. DL KJ Sampson
18. R-Sr. DL Onye Nwosisi
19. R-Jr. WR Reed Swanson
20. R-Jr. C Michael Crounse
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Graham Dietz is a 2025 graduate of Boston College and subsequently joined Boston College On SI. He previously served as an editor for The Heights, the independent student newspaper, from fall 2021, including as Sports Editor from 2022-23. Graham works for The Boston Globe as a sports correspondent, covering high school football, girls' basketball, and baseball. He was also a beat writer for the Chatham Anglers of the Cape Cod Baseball League in the summer of 2023.
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