CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Boston College's Kaelan Chudzinski, one of the country's most promising young tight ends, is expected to miss the 2026 season with an Achilles injury, coach Bill O'Brien told ESPN on Thursday.
Chudzinski emerged as one of the country's top true freshman tight ends in 2025, catching 24 balls for 313 yards and four touchdowns.
Kaelan Chudzinski projected as a starter and a staple in Boston College's offense, but the injury in spring practice is expected to keep him out until January, O'Brien said.
"He's doing unbelievably well in his rehab," O'Brien said. "And if you asked him, he would tell you he's not out for the season. As those injuries go, the likelihood of being back for any part of the season is not [great]. So he'll be back in January, but his rehab's going really well."
He's the son of BC tight ends coach and former Cleveland Browns coach Rob Chudzinski. And the injury has prompted a shuffle in his father's position room.
The injury will leave Boston College thinner at tight end, a position that's a traditional strong point for the program. O'Brien said that to accommodate the injury, BC moved over second-year defensive end Bryce Lewis, who'd been originally recruited as a tight end but moved to defensive end during camp in 2025. (Lewis is the son of former Boston College defensive coordinator Tim Lewis.)
O'Brien indicated that Bryce Lewis -- at 6-foot-6 and 245 pounds -- was one of the more promising young players in the program.
"We feel really good about that position," O'Brien said. "But then we felt like in the passing game, moving this guy back over to tight end, Bryce Lewis, he would be a name if he can stay healthy, that I'd be on the lookout for."
Boston College is amid a significant roster overhaul after going 2-10 in O'Brien's second season there. They brought in 53 new players -- 25 freshman and 28 portal transfers -- highlighted by Division II quarterback transfer Mason McKenzie and Washington State linebacker transfer Anthony Palano.
O'Brien told ESPN that the financial commitment to the program "doubled" from the administration last year, as he believed they had the lowest financial support in the ACC. He indicated that BC isn't going to be spending in the highest echelons of college football and said that was unsustainable when spending for top schools is more than $50 million and growing. But he did stress significantly stronger commitment from Boston College.
"I believe that BC has made a commitment," he said, "and that we're on the right track."