Andy Quinn, an Irish graduate of the NFL Academy, has officially committed to the Boston College Eagles for the 2025-26 academic year, the NFL announced on Wednesday, December 4, National Signing Day.
Galway native Quinn is one of six NFL Academy graduates from five countries who announced their US college commitments on Wednesday, with the Irishmen set to represent the team in NCAA Division I.
Brought up in Creggs, Co Galway, Quinn was crowned Ireland’s Kicking King in front of 43,000 fans in 2022 at the Aer Lingus College Football Classic at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium.
Afterward, he signed on with the NFL Academy where he impressed during his time and was cited by some US college scouts as a 5-star recruit in both kicking and punting.
The Irishman joins fellow NFL Academy alumni Pape Abdoulaye Sy at Boston College Eagles this year. Meanwhile, fellow Irishman and NFL Academy graduate Lopez Sanusi is playing at Boise State University.
Galway native Quinn had no background in American football before being invited to take part in Ireland’s Kicking King competition at the 2022 Aer Lingus Classic between Northwestern and Nebraska.
Organized by Irish kicking coach Tadhg Leader, the competition aimed to unearth Ireland’s best NFL placekicker, pitting the very best of rugby and GAA kickers against one another.
Quinn said he was invited to take part in the challenge after filming a short video of him attempting field goals.
The then 17-year-old emerged victorious on that August evening in 2022 and his performance was so impressive that it eventually earned him a place in the NFL Academy, a program that offers talented student-athletes a pathway to combine their full-time education with intensive training in American football, under the guidance of a professional coaching team.
His journey as “spiraled” since the kicking contest, Quinn told IrishCentral in July.
“First I went to the NFL academy and now I’m out in America on the cusp of getting a scholarship,” he said at the time.
Quinn moved to Loughborough University for his final year of sixth year and had to sit the Leaving Certificate as an external candidate, meaning he had to devote his evenings to learning the Irish curriculum after spending the day practices with the NFL Academy.
He admits: “There were ups and downs, but the experience as a whole was unbelievable.”
Quinn believes that Ireland’s rugby heritage could pave the way for an Irish offensive lineman or tight end in the future.
“I definitely see the sport growing (in Ireland), especially in specialist positions,” he told IrishCentral. “I wouldn’t be surprised to see an O lineman or a tight end move over from Ireland to attend the Academy.”
In September, Boston College Head Coach Bill O’Brien called Quinn to offer him a full Division 1 Scholarship to kick for Boston College, which he’s now accepted.
“We’d like to welcome punter and placekicker Andy Quinn from Galway, Ireland, via the NFL Academy in London,” Coach O’Brien said on Wednesday.
“This is a special story for us at Boston College. Andy officially visited during the Louisville game, he came with his mom and dad, just an awesome experience for us and I believe an awesome experience for them.
“Andy is a very talented punter. He has a great leg, he’s got an ability to locate the ball, he can put the ball wherever you want it with great hangtime to allow us to cover.
“He’s a guy that did a lot relative to where his experience has been.
“He’s kicked in front of 50,000 people already over in Ireland in a punt competition.
“We’re really looking forward to Andy, he’s going to bring a great demeanor to the position and he’s somebody that’s going to be a real, real cornerstone player for us.
“All the way from Ireland to Boston College, welcome to the BC Football program, Andy Quinn.”