Boston College offensive guard Christian Mahogany is among the most physically dominant linemen in the country. Mahogany enjoyed an outstanding regular season for the Eagles. NFL scouts have noted Mahogany’s form.
The No. 69 overall player in our latest TDN100 update, Mahogany spoke exclusively with The Draft Network about overcoming a torn ACL injury in 2022. Mahogany also discussed blocking for a run-dominant Boston College offense, learning from Chris Lindstrom and Zion Johnson, and more.
JM: You tore your ACL in May of 2022. What was your mindset like throughout the rehab process?
Christian Mahogany: I was thinking about my teammates. I was thinking about my family. I was thinking about my coaches and everything to do with Boston College. It was probably in that order, too. I just wanted to get back on the field. I wanted to get back to doing what I love. That was my mindset. I wanted to get back around my teammates. I wanted my sense of routine back. I’m glad I got that opportunity this season.
JM: You returned this season and played your best year of football. It’s a testament to your perseverance and ability to fight through adversity.
Christian Mahogany: I’ve been through a lot in my life. Most of it is already public knowledge. I lost my father when I was 14 years old. I had to grow up at a young age. It wasn’t always easy. I haven’t had the easiest life, but I haven’t had the hardest life, either.
When you’re a 14-year-old kid and you go through something as traumatic as losing your father, you don’t know much. You don’t know how to handle it. My life was just starting out. I lost my father within the first two weeks of high school. I was just developing into the person I was going to become.
When I got the call that my father had passed away, I had to grow up quickly. From that day forward, I wouldn’t say that I took everything with a grain of salt, but I definitely stopped overlooking certain things in my life.
I became more appreciative. I became a man. I didn’t know how far football would take me. Adversity really motivated me to become better than I was at that moment. My grandmother passed away before the 2021 season. I played one of my best seasons of football that year.
I had to be better. Perseverance was necessary. Adversity fueled me more than anything.
JM: The way that your support system helped you get through that must have been amazing. You had so many great people in your corner.
Christian Mahogany: As an athlete, you have so many resources at your disposal. I couldn’t have gotten through it without that support. My mom has been involved throughout my entire life. She’s always rooted for me. To have her around, she clutched her arms around me when I needed it most. I knew she’d always support me every step of the way.
My mother, my family, my coaches, everyone that’s always been around me really, they’ve helped me throughout so much in my life. I’m not the only person that went through adversity. I knew that. That was the biggest message. I’m not the first person to lose a loved one. I wasn’t the first college football athlete to tear their ACL.
Having that sense of security and support system, I tried to spread positivity and think of the good times. I didn’t focus on the bad. My mom and coaches were a huge factor. They helped me so much. They got me through some tough times for sure.
JM: It’s all paid dividends. This Boston College offense averaged nearly 200 rushing yards per game this season. Talk to me about that approach. What do you love about blocking in the run game?
Christian Mahogany: I was injured last season. We heard the outside noise. A lot of people didn’t love what we did. We didn’t come into this season with a lot of hype. For myself and some of my teammates to come back for 2023, we all contributed and played a huge role this season.
We know how we want to brand ourselves. Boston College produces great offensive linemen. We’re a physical team. We wanted to bring a sense of physicality back to BC. I think we did just that. I’m excited that we got to do that at such a high level this year.
I really pride myself on the run game. I really enjoy doing it. At the end of the day, the offensive line is a thankless position. We don’t always get the credit or recognition. The guys around you make it worthwhile. Seeing that in the box score [200 rushing yards per game] means everything. It means we took our hard hats and lunch pail to work. We did a heck of a job this year.
JM: You have terrific size for the position at approximately 6-foot-3, 330 pounds. How do you utilize size and power to your advantage on a snap-by-snap basis?
Christian Mahogany: I’m a little unique in that way. I’m a shorter guy for the position. I’m 6-foot-3 like you said. But I’m a big, powerful guy. I bring an intensity to my blocking temperament.
I don’t like to just block people. I try to end you in ways that don’t make sense. I'll finish you. I’m always working on my technique with my coaches. I love to position block. I play through the whistle. I’ve worked on that this year. I want to continue getting better because I haven't been playing the position for too long. I just want to keep growing to the best of my ability. I bring that every down, every snap.
JM: One of the ways you do that is by playing through the whistle. We really appreciate your willingness to finish on film, especially in the run game. How did you develop that aggressive mentality as a finisher?
Christian Mahogany: I played on the defensive line in high school. That was before I played on the offensive line. That's why I said I haven’t been playing this position for too long. I inherited a nastiness in that regard. I had to tackle running backs. I had a great motor to run down the field on the d-line.
It brings an intensity to the offensive side of the ball. When I switched positions during my junior year of high school, I played a lot of Madden Ultimate Team (laughs). I loved the high-rated guys like Trent Williams. I would watch them on tape. I was playing tackle in high school, and Trent Williams was my go-to study. He’s a finisher.
JM: I think of guys that came before you like Chris Lindstrom. I think of 2022 first-round pick Zion Johnson, who was your teammate. What’s in the water down there? What is it about Boston College’s ability to routinely churn out dominant offensive linemen?
Christian Mahogany: It’s a different breed down here. I’ve met Chris Lindstrom a few times. I actually played with his brother. Zion Johnson has a perfect attitude. He’s a BC guy through and through.
We just want to be great. We’re the strongest unit to come out of BC. We love each other. There’s a different type of love and care down here. It’s never about one person. We all want to better ourselves.
JM: What did you learn from Zion Johnson?
Christian Mahogany: He’s one of the best teammates I’ve ever had. He’s somebody you can talk to, both on and off the field. He’s always the same guy. He’s never changed a day in his life. He hasn’t changed now. Anytime I need to reach out to him, he’s still there and available to me. He’s more than a resource. He’s a friend and a teammate.
Zion Johnson can help me at the next level. He helped me become a better player and person. He’s a tremendous person. He’s one of the best people I’ve ever been around. I consider myself very fortunate to have met him, and to still call him a friend. He’s done a lot for me.
JM: We love hearing that. What scheme is your favorite? Do you prefer a gap scheme, running inside and outside zone, etc.?
Christian Mahogany: I feel like I can do pretty much anything. Inside zone, outside zone, gap scheme. I do love that gap scheme. I like it more than anything. We incorporated that into our offense very well this year. I got to show off my ability as a puller and finisher in that regard. I love how we mix up different schemes. We pin and pull, run power, counter, and so on. I loved pulling around my tackles, pulling on counter runs in that power scheme, reaching linebackers on the second level. I’m a finisher. We did a great job this season. We imposed our will.
JM: This has been an outstanding conversation. I appreciate your willingness to talk about your personal life. I don’t take that lightly. We’re excited to continue monitoring your progress. The Draft Network is rooting for you. In closing, what are Christian Mahogany’s goals moving forward?
Christian Mahogany: I heard this quote. I’m a big UFC guy. I love the UFC. I read this quote from light heavyweight fighter Jamahal Hill. Before he won the light heavyweight belt, he said, “I’m afraid to die without knowing how great I truly am.”
That quote stuck out to me. It spoke to me. That’s all I ever wanted to be. I was never a highly recruited kid. I wasn’t a 4- or 5-star recruit. I didn’t have 50 offers. I had to work for everything I have. I had to build from the ground up as a football player. I just want to continue doing that. It doesn’t matter what round I get drafted in. Whatever happens, I just want to be the best I can be.
Whatever team and program I’m a part of, I want to be the best. I want to add to the team. That’s what I want to continue doing. I just want to develop into the best version of myself. I will learn from the veterans. I want to be better.
