Boston College Football 2026 Top 20 Player Rankings: No. 18

Welcome back to Boston College Eagles On SI’s ranking of BC football’s top 20 players for the 2026 season, the program’s third with Bill O’Brien as its skipper.

The list, which was devised from the input of fellow media and BC football support staff, but mostly my own say, kicked off with returning starting center Michael Crounse at No. 20, followed by transfer wideout Reed Swanson at No. 19.

And without further ado… (I think this is starting to become my saying)

No. 18: R-Sr. DL Onye Nwosisi

When a defensive lineman switches his jersey number from ‘92’ to ‘8’, it would be fair to assume that he thinks he is primed for a breakout. The number ‘8’ is not typical for a defensive lineman to wear, and it signifies a certain type of mentality that exudes confidence, as if dominance is being manifested.

That is exactly what Nwosisi did after spending nearly all of 2025 on the sideline, and it seems like that decision was partly based on the level of performance he displayed both when he was healthy and after his recovery.

In his first three games before suffering a season-ending injury, the 6-foot-4, 260-pound end made one start and totaled six tackles, so there is technically very little to say about his effectiveness in the trenches just yet.

But the staff was visibly high on the former Valparaiso transfer when he entered the program initially and throughout BC’s 2026 spring-ball period, and Nwosisi is probably licking his chops to kick off what will likely be his final year in college after being relegated to the injury list all of last year.

Prior to arriving on the Heights in December of 2024 as one of the top rushers from the FCS, Nwosisi posted 39 tackles, five tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, and a forced fumble as a junior for the Beacons, who play in the Pioneer Football League in the FCS (Football Championship Subdivision). As a sophomore, he registered 32 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and two sacks, so he has plenty of production to point to.

Nwosisi’s edge-rushing style is both violent and elusive. He crashes through tackles with his bulky upper body, but does so with an air of finesse because of how light he stays on his feet. The bounce that he generates with his get-off move is what offensive lineman have nightmares of.

BC is coming off a season in which its defense ranked 116th in the nation in total sacks (17.0), 128th in total tackles for loss (46.0), and 126th in total defense, and Nwosisi’s absence certainly contributed to those shortcomings.

He might need some adjusting when he finally returns to the field for an actual game, but he should gradually become a reliable defensive threat for the Eagles over the course of the year.

And after last year’s misfortune, no one wants that to happen more than Nwosisi himself.

Meet the Player: Onye Nwosisi

Position: Defensive Line

Year: Redshirt Senior

Hometown: Indianapolis, Ind.

High School, Former School: Cardinal Ritter, Valparaiso

Height: 6’4”

Weight: 260 lbs.

Additional info: Nwosisi spent his freshman year at Muskingum, a Division-III program in New Concord, Ohio, where he played in nine games and recorded 40 tackles.

This is the third 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 July and August.

Top 20:

18. R-Sr. DL Onye Nwosisi
19. R-Jr. WR Reed Swanson
20. R-Jr. C Michael Crounse

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