With Boston College football’s season opener just 57 days away, Boston College Eagles On SI continues revealing its poll of the Eagles’ top 20 players heading into Bill O’Brien’s third year with the program.
The poll was constructed from the opinions of fellow media and BC football support staff — including my final say, I must admit — and a list of honorable mentions will be released in addition to the top 20 once all has been revealed.
Returning O-line starter Michael Crounse took the No. 20 spot, but this next player is the first transfer on the list, one who had arguably the most promising spring period out of the entire transfer crop.
So without further ado…
No. 19: R-Jr. WR Reed Swanson
A 6-foot-6 wide receiver named Reed? BC fans already know quite a lot about someone like that.
But I’m not talking about Reed Harris.
Enter Reed Swanson, a Colgate transfer whose raw talent, athleticism, and freakish height make him a daunting assignment for most, if not all defensive backs.
A redshirt junior, Swanson left his former program for a chance to play at a higher level after posting a career-best season in which he caught 57 passes for 939 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging 16.5 yards per catch en route to All-Patriot League Second-Team honors.
In total over the course of three years and 23 games played for the Raiders, Swanson hauled in 78 catches for 1,171 yards and 12 scores, so it really wasn’t until last year that Swanson became a threat.
Patriot-League secondaries obviously don’t compare to the ACC’s, but his practice reps against the Eagles’ defensive backfield this spring should be considered a highly-intriguing test run.
Swanson didn’t just hold his own against BC’s top units. He frankly dominated in the deep passing game and redzone, especially against man coverage with his ability to grab 50-50, contested balls.
The Eagles’ 2026 wide receiver room is definitely one of the biggest question marks for this upcoming season considering the amount of production lost during the offseason.
Between Lewis Bond, who was drafted by the Houston Texans in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, Harris, who transferred to Arizona State and was considered a consensus top-10 player in the portal, and tight end Jeremiah Franklin, BC will have to replace a combined 176 receptions, 2,172 yards, and eight touchdowns.
Swanson won’t do all of the leg work on his own, but he has all the tools to be a contributor from day one and needs to be incorporated as a piece in the deep attack and redzone realms.
And it sure seems likely that BC head coach Bill O’Brien already has plans to do so based on his usage during the spring, but more will be unveiled about Swanson’s role as fall camp gets underway.
Meet the Player: Reed Swanson
Position: Wide Receiver
Year: Redshirt Junior
Hometown: Glen Gardner, N.J.
High School, Former School: Wyoming Seminary, Colgate
Height: 6’6″
Weight: 210 lbs.
Additional info: Swanson was originally born in New York City and attended Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn before his time at Wyoming Seminary in Kingston, Penn.
This is the second story in Boston College Eagles On SI’s summer preview series of Boston College football’s top 20 players (and honorable mentions) heading into the program’s third year under head coach Bill O’Brien. Ensuing stories will be published throughout July and August.
Top 20:
19. R-Jr. WR Reed Swanson
20. R-Jr. C Michael Crounse
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