Boston College Eagles: 3 standouts in 2022 season
Boston College Eagles: A 5-year anchor
A number of players had solid seasons on defense. Vinny DePalma and Kam Arnold were stalwarts at linebacker, combining for 132 tackles. DePalma was one of five on the defensive side named to the all-ACC honorable mention team.
Chibueze Onwuka was one of those, collecting 41 tackles on the season. His play helped solidify the defensive line.
But it was a fellow lineman who deserves recognition here in wrapping up a solid career.
Marcus Valdez did not receive an all-conference nod this season but he very well could have. Over five seasons with Boston College, Valdez played in 57 games. He finished with 133 tackles and 13.5 sacks, leading the team with five in 2021.
Valdez made 30 tackles in 2022, up from a season ago (in which he missed three games). He had 8.5 tackles for loss and 4 sacks, going on a nice four-game run to close the season. During this span, Valdez had 11 tackles (five for loss) and three sacks.
It was also when Valdez had one of the finer games of his career in an upset victory over N.C. State.
Valdez went all out in the game, collecting six tackles and two sacks. He also forced a fumble and made a recovery as the Eagles played one their best games of the season.
Next. Boston College Eagles: Underclassmen carving out roles in 2022. dark
The graduate contributed nicely during his time with Boston College. He and Flowers are two players who will be missed in 2023. The defense was a veteran unit and will have some work to do in replacing players who started for multiple years. A plus in this struggling season is that a lot of underclassmen saw playing time and, with any luck, the foundation for a brighter future has been laid.