Onwuka Out: Analyzing Defensive Tackle Options For Boston College

A look at some of the defensive tackle choices that Boston College will have, given the injury to their starting tackle Chibueze Onwuka

On Saturday, Pete Thamel tweeted out that Boston College defensive tackle Chibueze Onwuka suffered an injury at practice and would be out for the year. Now the Eagles must figure replace two defensive tackles who took a majority of the snaps in 2020, with Luc Bequette transferring back to California-Berkeley. Let's look at some of the options for the Eagles at defensive tackle heading into 2021. 

Cam Horsley- Sophomore. (2020 stats: 13 tackles including five solos, 1.5 TFL, and a fumble recovery). He was the big name to come out of practice reports in 2020, as he seemingly was making plays left and right. He started off slow in the 2020 season, but his workload increased as the season went on. Real high potential for Horsley, and this could be his opportunity to jump into the starting lineup for the next three years.

Khris Banks- Transfer from Temple, Junior (2020 stats: 18 tackles, 3.0 TFLs and one sack). The one time Boston College commit returned to the Eagles in 2021 after three years with the Owls. Big and physical, Banks is certainly primed to take that next step and become a starter, and with Onwuka gone that pathway looks to have opened up.

TJ Rayam- Graduate Student (Career Stats: 66 tackles, 9 tackles for loss). If Boston College is looking for veteran leadership up the middle than Rayam certainly will be a name to watch for. He has shown bursts of strong play, and started seven games for the Eagles in '20.

Izaiah Henderson- Sophomore (2019 stats: Four games and four tackles, missed 2020). Henderson is a name that not many people are talking about but really should be. He was a defensive tackle that Steve Addazio's staff was very high on, but unfortunately he missed all of 2020 with an injury. He has a very high ceiling, and it will be interesting to see how he clicks with the new staff. Don't count him out as a potential starter on day one. 

Ryan Betro- Junior- (Played in four games in 2020.). Hard to gauge what he could bring with not much of Betro's play on film. The Lawrence Academy graduate has seen game time over the past two seasons. 

The Freshmen (Owen Stoudmire & Nigel Tate): Both freshmen joined the team this summer. Of course just stepping on campus would make both of these players rather raw. Interesting note on Tate, he is 6'2 340 pounds. If BC wants to get a huge plug in the middle, it wouldn't get much bigger than that. 

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