Boston College Football 2014: Mike Giacone, TE

Even though the old-school depth chart does not indicate as much, the 2014 Boston College Eagles are in the market for a new starting tight end. Is rising junior Mike Giacone that guy?

Before coming to Boston College, Giacone was part of the New Jersey prep school football scene which has generated a few of the region’s most elite programs. Giacone, like current teammate Charlie Callinan, went to St. Peter’s Prep in Jersey City. While there, he received plenty of honors in note of his accomplishments on the field, as well as academic plaudits. Amongst those distinctions was being named to the Chesapeake Bowl all-star team in 2011.

Mike Giacone was a three-star recruit when colleges came knocking, and he received offers from (obviously) Boston College, Florida State, Maryland, Wake Forest, and Rutgers, amongst others. Initially, of all those schools, the more-or-less hometown Rutgers Scarlet Knights won the race, but thanks to Greg Schiano’s departure for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he decommitted and switched to the Eagles shortly before 2012 National Signing Day.

As an Eagle, Giacone played during his true freshman season of 2012 and appeared in a few more games in 2013 as a sophomore. He was a tight end backup, though he also saw time on special teams as a blocker.

Mike Giacone #88: Fast Facts

• Position: Tight end
• Hometown: Westfield, New Jersey
• High School: St. Peter’s Prep, Jersey City, NJ
• Measurements: 6-foot-5, 262 lb.
• Class year & age at 2014 opener: Junior, 20
• BC games played: 15

Mike Giacone #88: 2013 Season

• Backup at the “Y” receiver position behind CJ Parsons
• Games played: 8; no starts
• Appeared on Spring 2014 roster

Giacone’s rise to upperclassman status comes with a few openings in positions directly relevant to him. The Steve Addazio depth chart uses designations like “Y” and “H” for blocking receivers, but both of the starters at said position last season — Parsons and Mike Naples — are gone.

Sometimes, the simplest answer is the right one and the next-most experienced player slides up the depth chart, which may or may not be the case here. His pass-catching abilities are relevant, but not something we can judge first-hand because he has not done it in college. During high school, Giacone did record a fair number of receptions, but even at that, between 13 and 15 a season as a junior and senior.

Mike Giacone may just be more of a blocking tight end, for which there is definitely use on this team, but if we have questions about him catching the football, 2014 may be the year we learn about them.

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