Bear Digest

Second-round tackle Ozzy Trapilo owns Bears and NFL connection

Tackle Ozzie Trapilo is a chip off the old NFL offensive line block and also has a tie to the Bears general manager.
Gene Chamberlain|
Ozzy Trapilo is following in his father's footsteps, and even in Ryan Poles' footsteps to an extent.
Ozzy Trapilo is following in his father's footsteps, and even in Ryan Poles' footsteps to an extent. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

The connection is there but the Bears had plenty of other reasons for liking Ozzy Trapilo, their pick at No. 56 overall in Round 2, beyond his inside connection.

Trapilo is a tackle from Boston College, a legacy of sorts with a father who was an NFL lineman. And, of course, Bears GM Ryan Poles was a Boston College offensive lineman who also was briefly in a Bears uniform.

"You know I've met with him before in Indy," Trapilo said of Poles. "We talked about BC, that connection. You know it's hard not to talk about. Good conversations about that and yeah super excited, having another BC guy on staff."

Trapilo had other credentials, like being 6-fot-8, 316 pounds. He started 10 Boston College games at left tackle and 24 at right tackle.

It means the Bears won't have a problem using him as a swing tackle, or putting him into the competitive mix should Braxton Jones not be ready at training camp to come back from his broken ankle. He has even played guard.

"When I was a younger guy, the first position I played was at the guard spot," Trapilo said. "I had one start at right and one start at left. That was the same thing I keep going back to, that I wanted to get on the field as soon as possible.

"During practice I showed that I could play guard even though I’m a taller guy. When there were a couple guys who went down or whatever the case was, that was the spot they needed filled and I jumped at it and ended up doing well there."

If he had a preference, it might have ended when college did.

"I would say if you asked me that during the season, I would obviously say right because that is where I practiced," Trapilo said. "But as soon as the season ended, going into this level especially you want to be as versatile as possible, so I've done a ton of work as you know all positions except center."

No one would be surprised if Trapilo gets a chance to catch a pass, even. Ben Johnson liked that option in Detroit with his tackles.

“Absolutely, I played tight end," Trapilo said. "I was a thinner guy growing up. Until my junior year of high school I was a tight end. I do have experience catching the ball.

"I made the switch back (to lineman) in junior year. I didn’t think I would ever come back. But again I’m trying to get on the field as soon as possible. Whatever it might be, I’d be happy to go out there and do it. Any situation I’d be more than happy to go out there."

Playing guard and tackle is where Trapilo's father, Steve, also played. He played there five seasons in the NFL for New Orleans and before that at Boston College. He was on a Boston College team with Poles' father, which is a real inside connection.

At the age of 39 in 2004, Steve Trapilo died of a heart attack.

"I don’t really have many memories of him myself," Ozzy Trapilo said. "A lot of what I know of him is through stories from my mom, from his buddies, from our family, people that knew him beforehand. I think, in a way, it’s pretty cool because I get to form my own opinion on who he was as a man and just based off all the stuff I’m hearing about him.

"A lot of people, especially as I’ve gotten older say I’m very similar to him the way we walk, the way we laugh, stuff like that. So just hearing stuff like that is very cool for me. I know it’s cool for my family. They all are enjoying this process. They’re super stoked. They’re all upstairs right now. Being able to do that, it’s a dream come true.”

It's a legacy fulfilled.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.