Boston College’s linebacker room has a different look heading into 2026, and Bodie Kahoun is one of the biggest reasons why.
The Eagles landed Kahoun in the offseason from Notre Dame, a fellow Catholic school that, as BC fans know well, is part of the rivalry known as “The Holy War.” A four-star recruit out of Patrick Henry in Roanoke, Va., Kahoun arrives with real pedigree and the kind of profile that makes him easy to circle as a breakout candidate.
His college résumé at Notre Dame is still thin. In his first two seasons in South Bend, he appeared in 12 games, mostly on special teams, and finished with just two tackles.
But that limited workload doesn’t tell the whole story. Kahoun spent those early years under Marcus Freeman, including a front-row seat to what it takes to reach the College Football Playoff.
Notre Dame made the National Championship in 2024, Kahoun’s true-freshman season, and then came up just short of the Playoff in 2025 after finishing 10-2.
What Boston College got this spring was a newcomer who fit in quickly. By all accounts, Kahoun had a strong spring on the Heights, and his personality has already made an impression in the locker room. Teammates seem to naturally draw toward him, and he’s usually smiling when he’s on the sideline or not locked in on the action in front of him.
He also looks the part. Like classmate Anthony Palano, Kahoun has the classic linebacker frame, with thighs described as the size of tree trunks.
The production from his high school days was absurd. In his senior season at Patrick Henry, Kahoun piled up 203 tackles, earned US Army All-American honors, and was named a Dick Butkus Award semifinalist, one of just 15 players recognized nationally.
Over his high school career, he finished with more than 400 tackles, 15 sacks, and six forced fumbles. He also starred in lacrosse, where he posted over 125 goals and 50 career assists.
That background matters because Boston College is looking for major improvement on defense in 2026. Under first-year defensive coordinator Ted Roof, the Eagles are expected to have a much stronger linebacker group after last season’s unit, led by Owen McGowan, came in a year when BC ranked among the bottom 10 teams in FBS in total defense.
Kahoun should be a central piece of what Roof wants to do. In a blitz-heavy scheme built to attack quarterbacks from every level, he figures to be active all over the field.
With Kahoun alongside Palano and SMU transfer Justin Medlock, the linebacker position looks like one of the easiest places to track Boston College’s progress from last year to this one. The difference is going to be astonishing.
There’s also a notable family connection in Kahoun’s background. His sister, Gracie, is a captain for Pittsburgh’s women’s lacrosse team, while his father, Craig, played lacrosse at Butler University and later professionally for the Rochester Rattlers of the Major League Lacrosse (MLL).
Kahoun checks in at No. 13 in Boston College Eagles On SI’s summer ranking of the program’s top 20 players heading into 2026.
In Other News...
Boston Colleges Tackle Battle Just Got A Huge New Twist
Boston Colleges offensive line picture for 2026 has taken another intriguing turn with the addition of transfer tackle Veguer Jean-Jumeau, a player coming off a strong debut season at Tennessee State. Jean-Jumeau started all 12 games at tackle last year, earned All-OVC Honorable Mention and HBCU/Phil Steele Freshman All-American recognition, and now arrives in Chestnut Hill with a rsum that suggests he can push for immediate playing time.
For the Eagles, the appeal is obvious: Jean-Jumeau brings proven pass protection and the kind of experience that can raise the floor of a line room. The next step will be sorting out where he fits best and how quickly he can sharpen the parts of his game that still need work, but his presence adds real weight to a position battle that already had some significance for Boston College. [Read more 🡒]