Boston College Head Coach Bill O’Brien Provides Injury Update on Linebacker Jaylen Blackwell

Boston College football head coach Bill O’Brien provided an update on linebacker Jaylen Blackwell, who has been out with an injury since 2023 and returned to practice on Tuesday morning.

“Yeah, he’s worked very hard to come back from an Achilles injury,” said O’Brien. “He’s a really good kid and I think you’ll see him out there eventually, probably not this week but he’s worked very hard with the training staff and the strength staff’s doing a really good job with him. So hopefully he’ll get back soon.”

The McDonough, Ga., native is in his fourth season with the Eagles program. During his time in Chestnut Hill, he has appeared in 22 games and tallied 34 total tackles (18 solo and 16 assisted), five tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks. He redshirted during his freshman campaign.

Last year, Blackwell appeared in seven games and made two starts while also recording 11 total tackles before suffering a season-ending injury.

As a prospect, Blackwell was a three-star recruit from the class of 2021 and ranked No. 2,109 nationally, No. 177 in safeties, and No. 191 in the state of Ga., according to 247Sports Composite. He chose the Eagles over Air Force, Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Army, Austin Peay, Eastern Michigan, Fordham, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Holy Cross, Middle Tennessee State, and Navy. He originally committed to Arkansas State in July of 2020, however decommitted in Nov., of the same year, three weeks after receiving an offer from Boston College and committed to The Heights shortly after.