Hunter Long Selected by Miami in 2021 NFL Draft
April 30, 2021 | Football
Long will be coached by former BC standout Brian Flores in Miami
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – Boston College tight end Hunter Long was selected with the 81st pick in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft Friday night by the Miami Dolphins.
Â
Long becomes the highest drafted Boston College tight end in school history, passing Tim Sherwin who went in the fourth round with the 94th overall selection in the 1981 NFL Draft to the Baltimore Colts.
Â
Long is the ninth tight end from Boston College to be selected in the NFL Draft.
Â
"The Miami Dolphins just made one of the best selections in the 2021 NFL Draft," said Boston College head coach Jeff Hafley. "We are so excited for Hunter as he starts the next chapter of his football career in the NFL. It was clear from the first time I saw Hunter at practice, he was going to play a big part in our success and he thrived in Coach Cignetti's pro-style offense. We can't wait to watch Hunter play on Sundays this fall."
Â
Long is the 219th player in Boston College history to be selected in the NFL or AFL Draft. Since 1980, Boston College had at least one player drafted every year except 2005 and 2013.Â
He is the eighth Boston College player drafted by the Dolphins and the first since tight end Pete Mitchell went in the fourth round of the 1995 NFL Draft to Miami.
Long was named a Second-Team All-American by the Football Writers Association of America, AP, Sporting News, CBS Sports and The Athletic in 2020.
Â
Long was the first Eagle to earn All-America honors by the FWAA, AP and Sporting News in the same year since Luke Kuechly in 2011.
Â
He joined Pete Mitchell (1994) and Mark Chmura (1991) as the only BC tight ends to be named to the FWAA All-America teams.
Â
Long was the top receiving tight end in the nation in 2020. The New Hampshire native led all tight ends nationally in receptions (57) and ranked second in receiving yards (685) behind Florida's Kyle Pitts.
Â
He finished second in Boston College single-season history for receptions by a tight end, trailing only Mitchell's 66 receptions in 1993.
Â
For his career, Long finished with 89 receptions for 1,297 yards and nine touchdowns.
Â
Long Year-By-Year Statistics
Year    GP      Rec.    Yards  TD
2018Â Â Â 12Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 4Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 103Â Â Â Â Â 2
2019Â Â Â 13Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 28Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 509Â Â Â Â Â 2
2020Â Â Â 11Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 57Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 685Â Â Â Â Â 5
Career 36Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 89Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 1,297Â Â 9
Â
Â
Â
Â
Long becomes the highest drafted Boston College tight end in school history, passing Tim Sherwin who went in the fourth round with the 94th overall selection in the 1981 NFL Draft to the Baltimore Colts.
Â
Long is the ninth tight end from Boston College to be selected in the NFL Draft.
Â
"The Miami Dolphins just made one of the best selections in the 2021 NFL Draft," said Boston College head coach Jeff Hafley. "We are so excited for Hunter as he starts the next chapter of his football career in the NFL. It was clear from the first time I saw Hunter at practice, he was going to play a big part in our success and he thrived in Coach Cignetti's pro-style offense. We can't wait to watch Hunter play on Sundays this fall."
Â
Long is the 219th player in Boston College history to be selected in the NFL or AFL Draft. Since 1980, Boston College had at least one player drafted every year except 2005 and 2013.Â
He is the eighth Boston College player drafted by the Dolphins and the first since tight end Pete Mitchell went in the fourth round of the 1995 NFL Draft to Miami.
Long was named a Second-Team All-American by the Football Writers Association of America, AP, Sporting News, CBS Sports and The Athletic in 2020.
Â
Long was the first Eagle to earn All-America honors by the FWAA, AP and Sporting News in the same year since Luke Kuechly in 2011.
Â
He joined Pete Mitchell (1994) and Mark Chmura (1991) as the only BC tight ends to be named to the FWAA All-America teams.
Â
Long was the top receiving tight end in the nation in 2020. The New Hampshire native led all tight ends nationally in receptions (57) and ranked second in receiving yards (685) behind Florida's Kyle Pitts.
Â
He finished second in Boston College single-season history for receptions by a tight end, trailing only Mitchell's 66 receptions in 1993.
Â
For his career, Long finished with 89 receptions for 1,297 yards and nine touchdowns.
Â
Long Year-By-Year Statistics
Year    GP      Rec.    Yards  TD
2018Â Â Â 12Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 4Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 103Â Â Â Â Â 2
2019Â Â Â 13Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 28Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 509Â Â Â Â Â 2
2020Â Â Â 11Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 57Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 685Â Â Â Â Â 5
Career 36Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 89Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 1,297Â Â 9
Â
Â
Â
Players Mentioned
TE
/ FootballFootball: Head Coach Bill O'Brien Media Availability (September 23, 2025)
Tuesday, September 23
Football: Lewis Bond Media Availability (September 23, 2025)
Tuesday, September 23
Football: Ty Clemons Media Availability (September 23, 2025)
Tuesday, September 23
From the Desk of Blake James | Ep. 2
Friday, September 19
