Boston College quarterback Thomas Castellanos will leave the program and is expected to transfer with one year of eligibility remaining, he announced on social media Thursday. Castellanos' decision comes after coach Bill O'Brien announced Monday that Grayson James will start at quarterback for the Eagles this week against No. 14 SMU.
"I've had some of the best experiences of my life in the Eagles Nest and I will truly cherish these memories forever," Castellanos wrote. "Unfortunately, all good things come to an end, even though it's sooner than I would like. I will trust in God and his plan for me on my journey. Eagles Nest you'll always have a special place in my heart."
After the benching, O'Brien said that Castellanos was "taking a couple of days" away from the team. He was not expected to travel to Dallas for the matchup. Castellanos started 20 games for the Golden Eagles over the past two seasons, but was bypassed as BC (5-4, 2-3 ACC) scraps to reach bowl eligibility during O'Brien's first season.
"Obviously, he wasn't real thrilled with that," O'Brien said Monday.
— Thomas Castellanos ✪ (@Tommy_casto) November 15, 2024
Castellanos was replaced by James in the third quarter last week with Boston College trailing Syracuse 21-14. The Eagles promptly scored touchdowns on three consecutive possessions as they rallied for a 37-31 victory, which snapped a three-game losing streak.
James finished 5 of 6 passing for 51 yards and a touchdown in what marked his second substantive appearance of the season. With Castellanos out due to injury for a September game against Western Kentucky, James started and led BC to a 21-20 win."I have to make interests in the best decision of the football team," O'Brien said. "I look at the team and try and do what's best for the team. I think what's best for the team right now is for Grayson James to be the starter."
James transferred to Boston College after three seasons at FIU and has one season of eligibility remaining. He has thrown for 2,561 yards, 15 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in four seasons. Castellanos, who began his career by appearing in five games at UCF in 2022, also has one season of eligibility remaining.
In two seasons with Boston College the UCF transfer threw for 3,614 yards, rushed for 1,307 yards and posted 47 total touchdowns. However, he immediately registered as a poor fit with in O'Brien's pro-style offense as his rushing yardage dropped from 1,113 yards on 5.2 yards per carry as a sophomore to 194 yards on 2.1 yards per carry as a junior.
Castellanos should quickly become a popular transfer target, assuming he formally enters the portal after the season. The Waycross, Georgia, native had offers from Florida State and Kansas coming out of high school, but was only recruited as a quarterback at a handful of schools. However, his experience and production in the ACC should make him a top target with a relatively scarce quarterback market on the horizon.
Several top programs could be in the market for a quarterback in 2025, including Florida State, Michigan and Oklahoma. 247Sports Clint Brewster broke down the buyer's market for quarterbacks in the 2025 transfer portal cycle.
