CHESTNUT HILL – It’s March, so everything you see at any of the local spring college practices should be taken with a grain of salt.

A lot can change between now and August when real training camp begins. However, with that in mind, BC fans should be encouraged with the team through the first four practices of the 15-session spring calendar. Practice No. 4 took place on Tuesday morning and while the QB competition between newcomer Dylan Lonergan and Grayson James is a good one, there’s other guys in some important areas starting to make a name for themselves.

Here’s some stuff that stood out during Tuesday’s practice as well as some overall themes so far for the Eagles…

-Saw CCSU, Brown, Apponequet (definitely not how you spell it and I didn’t feel like Googling it) and Avon Old Farms staff members all in the house today. Brown (understandably given O’Brien’s history) has been there more than any other local staff. Also spotted like a dozen recruits on hand, it’s hard to really tell because some are on the other far sideline where the media isn’t allowed, others hang out around their particular position group most of the time, Blake James was also in the house briefly, seen him at all 4 so far I believe.

-Mike Landolfi crosses in front of Charlie Comella for a ball from Shaker Reisig for some MA on MA crime during one-on-one work.

-Nedrick Boldin Jr. and VJ Wilkins are two young receivers that have popped – particularly Wilkins – over the last couple of practices and should be guys to watch out for moving forward. This is the time where Reed Harris made his mark a year ago and now he’s a Top 3 receiver on the team. Spring ball can’t break a career but it can certainly spark it.

-Running back room is so loaded that transfer Vaughn Pemberton (Ball State) got some run at LB on Tuesday. Datrell Jones, Turbo Richard, Alex Broome and Jordan McDonald make this the deepest room on the team and that isn’t even including the additions of Mekhi Dodd and Bo MacCormack this summer.

-Me and Mac Hutchinson (BC Fans Daily) watched the kickers go back and forth from anywhere between 35-50. Both Connor and Quinn looked good, making most. I want to say Quinn’s got the bigger leg but Connor’s been good so far. I think Quinn has already won the punting job though, really not even close to my very untrained eye. Ball’s just different off his foot.

-During some walk through stuff (coaches actually had cards, but no way it could be Fordham stuff yet), Pap Sye and Ryan Mickow stand out. Mostly just because of their size, but I think they could play themselves into the rotation midway or late in the year, if not sooner. I could be completely wrong about that, but of all the ‘backup’ linemen, they just kind of stand out the most. Overall, the O-line will be better than people think. Plenty of veterans (Logan Taylor, Dwayne Allick, Jude Bowry, Kevin Cline, Eryx Daugherty) who just need to continue building continuity.

-Linebackers and D-line were impressive in particular on Tuesday. Guys like Palaie Faoa, Billy Van Pelt, Tim Hays and newly minted scholarship recipient Juan Zabal are going to be extremely valuable as Daveon Crouch and Owen McGowan work their way back. Josiah Griffin, Kwan Williams, George Rooks and Owen Stoudmire among others will have a difficult, but achievable task trying to replace Donovan Ezeiruaku. Keep an eye out for Clive Wilson Jr. as well.

-Led by newcomer Ty Lockwood and Jeremiah Franklin, the tight ends are all awesome and look exactly how you want a tight end room to look. Zeke Moore is the guy that you notice the most and actually had a neck roll on during Tuesday’s session. I brought it up to O’Brien after and he immediately said he looked like Mike Alstott. Kid’s going to be one of those fan favorites I think.

-Dylan Lonergan is very, very good already, but it’s Grayson James’ job to lose, at least that’s how it feels. It’s a 1A, 1B type of thing this early, but Grayson’s deep balls are a clear cut above Lonergan’s for the time being. As the guy who’s been here and most importantly earned his spot and the team’s respect last year, James should be QB1. That could all change in the next six months, but for four practices in March, it’s a very good room that’s going to continue pushing each other. Reisig has been impressive at times too.