Stellar, Standard & Subpar: DT Jaleel Berry

A look at a redshirt junior looking to find his spot in the new defense

The players have returned to campus and we inch closer to the start of the college football season. BC Bulletin will be previewing each player and projecting out their season. In these breakdowns, we discuss what a stellar, standard, and subpar season would look like for them. We are going in numerical order, today we preview defensive tackle Jaleel Berry.

Junior Jaleel Berry from Syracuse, New York came to Boston College in 2017 a late commitment in the class. According to reports he worked hard to get his academics in order. He was under recruited, but looked to be a diamond in the rough, bench pressing 425 pounds before he even stepped on campus. 

Once enrolled at Boston College, Berry trimmed down drastically, from 320 to 285. He redshirted his freshman year, playing in five games in 2018 at defensive tackle the following year. His 2019 was cut short, playing just in the Richmond game before missing the rest of the season due to an injury. 

The Eagles have built some depth on the defensive line, most notably in the process of bringing in grad transfer Luc Bequette from California and Chibueze Onwuka from Buffalo. With TJ Rayam on the roster and ready to roll, and freshman Cam Horsley playing well this spring, Berry will need a strong summer. He's already defied expectations getting on campus, can he do it again?

Stellar

Berry finds time on the field, either as a starter or backup during the season. Plays well and sets himself up to be one of the starting defensive tackles in 2021. 

Standard

Gets some snaps on reserve, plays well in practice and gets some time in games that are out of hand. Sets himself up for a bigger role in 2021. 

Subpar

Other players jump Berry on the depth chart and he does not see much playing time in 2021. 

What kind of season are you expecting from Jaleel Berry?

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Photo Courtesy of BCEagles.com