Previewing Boston College Football's 2026 Position Groups: Tight Ends

The hype around the tight end position for Boston College football circa 2026 was left on a sour note way before fall training camp even started.

That is because Kaelan Chudzinski, who emerged as one of the nation’s most promising young tight ends as a true freshman last year, suffered an Achilles injury and is expected to sit on the sidelines for all of 2026.

Chudzinski led all freshman tight ends in the country last year with 24 receptions for 313 yards and four touchdowns, and he was expected to be one of BC’s top receiving targets for quarterback Mason McKenzie.

According to BC head coach Bill O’Brien, the Needham, Mass., native is hoping to come back for the end of the season, but that is highly unlikely, and the Eagles were thrust into pivot mode this summer, which included switching a former defensive player to the offensive side of the ball.

Here is a closer look at the position group this year:

At a Glance

In addition to losing Chudzinski for the year, the graduation of Jeremiah Franklin put an even bigger dent in returning production among BC’s tight ends from 2025 to 2026, as Franklin racked up 49 receptions (second-highest on the team) for 506 yards and two receiving touchdowns.

In fact, there is basically zero returning production now, as Zeke Moore and Brady Clough are the only healthy returners with contributions from last year — a combined 12 yards on three receptions.

So where does that leave things?

On the one hand, Moore and Clough have some experience to fall back on, and Moore, who can play fullback in certain packages, is a terrific blocker in the run game, which is a plus.

Clough is more of a receiving threat, which makes him poised to step into Franklin's previous role, but he has a lot to prove before he can be deemed a legitimate pass-catching threat.

There are a couple of players lower on the depth chart that will step into bigger roles due to Chudzinski’s injury, such as redshirt sophomore Danny Edgehille, who did not make an appearance last year, and redshirt freshman DJ Johnson, a former top-40 recruit from Louisiana and top-30 overall at his position, per ESPN.

And then there are some wildcards.

Those would be redshirt freshman Bryce Lewis, who played defensive end as a true freshman but possesses a tight-end background — he recorded at least 17 receptions and 220 yards in each of his last two seasons at Blessed Trinity Catholic in Roswell, Ga. — and Florida transfer Cameron Kossmann, who played in one game for the Gators in 2025 but did not record a catch.

Kossmann has yet to be seen during training camp, so there is still a wait to find out how he will fill into the rotation. But overall, O’Brien feels confident about the current status of the room — with or without Chudzinski.

"I know losing [Kaelan Chudzinski] was tough,” O’Brien said after the first practice of fall camp. “Chud was a productive player and a very good player as a young player. But he’ll be back. We moved Bryce [Lewis] over there. Bryce has done a really good job of picking up the system, knowing how to run routes, understanding the run game and the protections. Very smart guy."

"We have Zeke Moore, who’s a versatile tight end/fullback-type guy who can do a lot of different things. Brady Clough and Danny Edgehille have done a really good job. They’ve really improved. We feel good about the position."

Projected Early-Season Depth Chart

1. Zeke Moore and Brady Clough

2. Danny Edgehille

3. Bryce Lewis

4. DJ Johnson OR Cameron Kossmann

5. Dominic DeSarno

2026 Boston College Tight Ends

*Kaelan Chudzinski – Sophomore, 6-3, 240

Projected to be out for all of 2026 with Achilles injury. Registered 24 catches for 313 yards and four touchdowns last season, which ranked the highest among all freshman tight ends in the country. Was named to the 2025 All-Freshman Team by On3, PFF, and The Athletic. Son of BC tight ends coach Rob Chudzinski.

Zeke Moore – Senior, 6-1, 245

Played two years at FAU before transferring to BC, totaling 18 receptions for 76 yards. Started three games (Clemson, Georgia Tech, Syracuse) in 2025 and saw action on special teams in all 12 contests. Former two-sport athlete in football and track from Roswell, Ga.

Brady Clough – Redshirt Sophomore, 6-3, 240

Has appeared in three games in each of his first two seasons with the Eagles. Named a two-time First-Team All-NEPSAC selection in high school at New Hampton School in New Hampton, N.H.

Danny Edgehille – Redshirt Sophomore, 6-5, 255

Has not played since freshman year (2024), in which he appeared in two games. Attended Loomis Chaffee and Xaverian Brothers in high school, earning Founders League Second-Team honors with Loomis. Was a two-time conference all-star in basketball at Xaverian.

Bryce Lewis – Redshirt Freshman, 6-6, 245

Son of former BC defensive coordinator Tim Lewis. Transitioned from defensive end to tight end over the summer after appearing in just three games as a freshman. Came in as a top-65 recruit in the nation, per On3, in the class of 2024 as both a tight end and defensive end.

DJ Johnson – Redshirt Freshman, 6-3, 240

Played in just one game in 2025 and maintained his redshirt. Native of New Orleans, La., who was recruited to the Heights as a top-40 recruit in his state (ESPN, 247Sports).

Cameron Kossman – Redshirt Freshman, 6-5, 250

A former three-star recruit out of Marquette High School in Missouri. Recorded 408 yards and four touchdowns on 35 receptions as a senior. Joined BC during the winter after transferring from UF.

Dominic DeSarno – Redshirt Freshman, 6-4, 230

Played at Georgetown Prep in Kensington, Md., garnering All-IAC Conference honors in 2024 and a First-Team selection in 2025.

This is the fifth story of Boston College Eagles On SI's summer position previews series. We're providing an in-depth look at every position group through the rest of August.

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