CHESTNUT HILL — The New England Patriots were one of 29 NFL teams and four CFL teams in attendance for Boston College’s pro day on Monday.
The workout featured 10 draft-eligible players from the Eagles, including wide receiver Lewis Bond, offensive lineman Jude Bowry, offensive lineman Kevin Cline, tight end Jeremiah Franklin, defensive end Quintayvious Hutchins, long snapper Ben Mann, defensive tackle Sedarius McConnell, running back Jordan McDonald, fullback/linebacker Vaughn Pemberton and offensive lineman Logan Taylor. In addition, Wagner running back Andre Hines Jr. and Dartmouth offensive lineman Delby Lemieux also participated in the event.
Amongst the Patriots contingent who made the trip to Chestnut Hill were head coach Mike Vrabel, vice president of player personnel Ryan Cowden, director of college scouting Tony Kinkela and personnel coordinator Brian Smith. New England offensive line coach Doug Marrone and outside linebacker coach Mike Smith, both of whom previously worked under Boston College head coach Bill O’Brien were also on hand to run players through positional drills.
For O’Brien and Vrabel, their relationship stems back to their time together at the Houston Texans, where Vrabel served as an assistant to O’Brien (2014-17). The two could be seen spending quite a considerable amount of time chatting throughout the workout. “Obviously Mike’s done an unbelievable job with the Patriots in a very short time, turning that around,” O’Brien said following the pro day. “We try to recruit guys that are tough, that are smart, that are dependable and I think those are the type of guys that [Vrabel’s] looking for on his team.
Of the group of prospects, the most anticipated performer in attendance was Bond, a notable snub from the NFL Scouting Combine last month who set a new school-record with 213 career receptions, previously held by Zay Flowers (Ravens). “Lewis Bond is one of the best players to ever play here,” O’Brien said.
A staple of consistency for the Eagles offense, Bond set career-highs in receptions (88) and yards (993) this past season, while adding one score. More quick than fast, there were concerns surrounding his timed speed, and while Bond didn’t exactly burn up the turf, he tested in the mid-4.50 range in the forty-yard dash, according to scouts in attendance. The time is more than adequate to find success at the next level, as Bond gains ground on his quick release and demonstrates the play-speed to create separation due to his crisp route running, especially in the short-to-intermediate parts of the field.
“I think my ability to run routes and my football IQ,” The 5-foot-11, 197-pound wideout stated following the workout. “Being here under pro head coaches … I think that shows my ability to get off press on the outside, understand zones in the inside.” A potential Day 3 selection, Bond could be viewed as an eventual replacement for slot wideout DeMario Douglas, who is entering the final year of his contract. He acknowledged that he had a chance to catch up with Vrabel during the workout. “He’s a great guy, kind of reminds me of Coach O’Brien. All about football, he’s smart, knows football, very disciplined and he leads that way,” Bond said.
The most impressive performance of the day belonged to offensive tackle
