RSS
Home
Ex-BC DTs Raji and Brace begin NFL careers
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
.jpg)
Ex-BC DT B.J. Raji works out at Packers training camp
(AP Photo/Jim Prisching)
Anyone following Boston College football over the last few years would be familiar with one particular player on the defensive side of the ball: defensive tackle and all-around gap stuffer B.J. Raji. Raji, whose younger brother Corey currently starts for the Eagles' basketball team, matured into an All-ACC defensive tackle during his time at the Heights, culminating in his selection as the ninth overall pick in this April's NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers.
Although Raji participated in Packers minicamp, he has yet to sign a contract. Capers told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel that Raji was an "exceptional athlete for a guy his size...I've been impressed by how fast he picks things up. There's obviously a lot to learn, but he normally doesn't repeat errors twice."
The Packers, under new defensive coordinator Dom Capers, are switching primarily to a 3-4 defense, although Capers says he wants the option of playing some 4-3 as well. Raji lined up at both defensive end and nose tackle during minicamp, and will likely see both positions at some point over the season.
Scout.com says Raji will likely start at left end next to nose tackle Ryan Pickett. This will certainly make Green Bay a very difficult team to run up the middle against, with the bulk of Pickett and Raji clogging holes and allowing the linebackers freedom to roam and make plays. Though initially it was predicted that Raji would split tiime with Pickett, it appears Capers wants to play both of his big bodies up front a considerable portion of the time.
Ron Brace started next to Raji on the defensive line, and was picked in the second round by his hometown New England Patriots. Brace, from Springfield, Mass., will back up nose tackle Vince Wilfork, whose contract runs out at the close of the 2009 season. Brace, at 6'3", 330 lbs., has the bulk and the motor that the Patriots look for in their 3-4 scheme. Though Brace does not project to be as good as Wilfordk, it appears he is being groomed for the position in case the Patriots cannot re-sign Wilfok. You can see an interview discussing the topic on New England Cable News here.
Though Brace was a very good player at Boston College, he was also helped by playing next to a dominant defensive tackle in Raji. He may become a good starter at nose tackle for the Patriots, but it will likely take more than a year or two, and in that case, he makes poor Wilfork insurance. However, he does give the Patriots a long-term option at the position. It will be interesting to see how much playing time Wilfork gets this year, as Bill Belichick is a coach who loves to rotate defensive linemen. Mike Wright, who was undrafted coming out of Cincinnati in 2005, has gotten ample playing time at tackle for the Patriots despite lacking the pedigree of Brace.
The amount of playing time Brace gets, particularly towards the end of this season, will be an important indicator about the Patriots' feelings towards Wilfork's contract situation and Brace's potential to start in 2010. Stay tuned.
Related Articles:
Add a Comment
