First-year Boston College coach Jeff Hafley has reeled in a few big-named transfers during the offseason, including former Notre Dame quarterback Phil Jurkovec. Now he has his playmaker of the future. Former Ohio State running back/wide receiver Jaelen Gill announced Tuesday on Twitter that he will transfer to the program and reunite with Hafley, who coordinated Ohio State's defense in 2019.
Gill was a highly-touted prospect coming out of Westerville South High School. The No. 30 overall player and second-ranked all-purpose running back was the fourth-highest ranked member of Ohio State's 2018 recruiting class, which finished No. 2 in the country behind Georgia.
Despite his high school accolades, Gill struggled to find the field in Columbus, Ohio. He played in two games and redshirted in 2018 before being moved to wide receiver full-time prior to the 2019 season. He caught six passes for 51 yards and one touchdown as a redshirt freshman last season but did not record a catch in eight of Ohio State's last nine games.
Gill will join a Boston College program that will be led by first-year offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti that will have plenty of pro elements mixed in. Cignetti spent the last eight seasons as an assistant in the NFL after serving as the offensive coordinator at Rutgers in 2011.
Gill has two seasons of eligibility remaining but will have to sit out the 2020 season per NCAA rules unless he receives an immediate-eligibility waiver.