After four years in a Boston College football uniform, senior defensive back Josh DeBerry announced on Twitter on Monday that he will enter the transfer portal with one year of eligibility.
DeBerry played in 11 games in the 2022 season, extending his streak of appearing in 10-plus games a year to three straight seasons. He served as a leader of BC’s defense, earning All-ACC honorable mention honors after the 2022 season, All-ACC Second Team honors in 2021, and All-ACC honorable mention honors in 2020.
With his transfer announcement, DeBerry joins a group of seven other Eagles in the portal, including two other defensive backs, CJ Burton and Jason Maitre, and quarterback Phil Jurkovec.
Last season, DeBerry played a crucial role in BC’s secondary, recording 39 solo tackles and 50 total tackles. He recovered a fumble against Maine and contributed to BC’s first-half push against Clemson with a first-quarter interception that put BC inside the Tigers’ 25-yard line.
In his career with BC, DeBerry totaled four interceptions, three forced fumbles, and 158 total tackles. In his departing message to BC, DeBerry thanked his freshman year head coach Steve Addazio, who was responsible for recruiting the defensive back in 2018. DeBerry started two games as a freshman, totaling 11 tackles and two pass break-ups.
Head coach Jeff Hafley’s arrival in 2020 marked a turning point in DeBerry’s career, as the sophomore went from starting two games in 2019 to playing in 11 in 2020. He recorded his first interception and earned All-ACC honors in his first year under Hafley’s leadership. He continued his upward trend in the years following, putting forward a performance in 2021 that earned him late-round NFL Draft speculation.
DeBerry recorded 53 tackles as a junior during the 2021 season, along with a team-high eight tackles for loss, helping BC earn bowl eligibility for the second straight season.
Prior to his time at BC, DeBerry helped lead De La Salle Collegiate High School in Warren, Mich. to back-to-back state championships in 2017 and 2018. He played on both sides of the ball in high school and recorded five interceptions, 44 tackles, 243 rushing yards, and 770 receiving yards during his senior year. DeBerry entered BC as a three-star prospect and the No. 28 recruit from the state of Michigan.
DeBerry’s exit leaves another hole in a BC roster plagued by offseason departures. He is BC’s third defensive back to enter the transfer portal, and Jaiden Woodbey’s decision to enter the 2023 NFL Draft leaves another gaping hole in the Eagles’ secondary. But Hafley appears to be taking a more aggressive approach to the portal this offseason, as three defensive backs are already set to join the ranks for the 2023 season.
