Boston College Football 2014: Joe Vitiello, DL

Meet Boston College Eagles freshman defensive lineman Joe Vitiello, not to be confused with some guy who DH’d for the Royals back in the ’90s.

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That’s right: there’s another Joe Vitiello out there — from Stoneham of all places — and he played Major League Baseball. One of our FanSided sites even profiled him. This new Joe Vitiello is not from Massachusetts, but he’ll play football there.

Vitiello played for Immaculata High School and was an all-conference player in 2012. Unfortunately, he was beset by injury and missed almost the entire 2013 season, but it was his strong junior year that got him the Boston College offer, which he took in the summer prior to his senior season that never was.

In choosing to come to the Heights, three-star lineman Vitiello declined offers from such major-conference programs as North Carolina and UConn (surprisingly, not Rutgers).

Presumably healthy and ready to go, Joe Vitiello is probably itching to get back into live game action in 2014. Will he?

Joe Vitiello: Fast Facts

• Position: Defensive lineman
• Hometown: Bridgewater, New Jersey
• High School: Immaculata High School, Somerville, New Jersey
• Measurements: 6-foot-4, 255 lb.
• Class year at 2014 opener: Freshman
• BC games played: 0

Joe Vitiello: 2013 Season (HS)

• Missed almost the entire season due to injury
• Cumulative statistics: 7 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 fumble recovery
• Did not appear on Spring 2014 roster

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We are on record here as suggesting that Boston College’s defensive line needs all the help it can get. With that said, in some cases, the program still has to take into account that younger players need time to develop. The coaches will not and should not wantonly burn every redshirt they see just to get warm bodies out there mid-season.

It is not out of the realm of possibility that Vitiello could play in 2014, but a redshirt seems the likely and prudent course.

Missed any 2014 player or season previews? Click the “114 Days” tag below to catch up on what we’ve shared so far.