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When the Dallas Cowboys went on the clock at pick No. 44, the situation felt too good to be true. One of the best and most accomplished pass rushers in the class was staring Dallas in the face and the only thing standing between him and a Cowboys uniform was the final decision of the front office brain trust congregating in the war room.
As fortune would have it, Jerry Jones and the boys did the right thing, selecting Boston College's Donovan Ezeiruaku at the top of the second round and pulling off one of the biggest steals of the year in the process.
Ezeiruaku, 6-foot-3, 248-pounds, was a draftnik darling last spring. Winner of the Ted Hendricks Award, ACC Defensive Player of the Yaer, First Team All-ACC, Consensus All-American and conference leader in both sacks and tackles for loss, Ezeiruaku had the skins on the wall to make him a low-risk prospect on Day 2.
The former Eagles pass rusher was a bit light in the pants as a prospect, but he possessed that coveted “gumby” physique that allowed him to bend around the end like very few can. With 16.5 total sacks in his final season, Ezeiruaku’s averaged 1.38 sacks/game which led FBS. He was a high-floor, high ceiling player who could instantly slide into a prominent role as a rookie.
That’s exactly what he did.
When Dallas sent Micah Parsons packing, they had an immediate opening on the edge. Ezeiruaku contributed from the jump, platooning at edge and eventually starting nine games as a rookie. He graded out as the second-best edge player in the draft class, falling just a hair behind New York’s Abdul Carter who was selected No. 3 overall.
Ezeiruaku’s rookie season was solid, collecting 26 pressures and two sacks. He didn’t always pass rush with a plan nor did he display a wide range of pass rush moves, but he showed enough to instill faith that he’ll become a double-digit sack master in the very near future. The rookie was as strong playing the run as he was rushing the passer. He’s doing things the right way and should grow into a well-rounded edge player as a result.
The Cowboys are still in the market for a defensive end this spring but that is by no means an indictment on Ezeiruaku. Make no mistake, Ezeiruaku factors into the long-term plans of the Cowboys significantly.
2025 rookie grade: B +
You can follow Reid on X @ReidDHanson and be sure to follow Cowboys Wire on Facebook to join in on the conversation with fellow fans!
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Rookie year grades: Cowboys Donovan Ezeiruaku flashes elite potential
Continue reading...
As fortune would have it, Jerry Jones and the boys did the right thing, selecting Boston College's Donovan Ezeiruaku at the top of the second round and pulling off one of the biggest steals of the year in the process.
Ezeiruaku, 6-foot-3, 248-pounds, was a draftnik darling last spring. Winner of the Ted Hendricks Award, ACC Defensive Player of the Yaer, First Team All-ACC, Consensus All-American and conference leader in both sacks and tackles for loss, Ezeiruaku had the skins on the wall to make him a low-risk prospect on Day 2.
The former Eagles pass rusher was a bit light in the pants as a prospect, but he possessed that coveted “gumby” physique that allowed him to bend around the end like very few can. With 16.5 total sacks in his final season, Ezeiruaku’s averaged 1.38 sacks/game which led FBS. He was a high-floor, high ceiling player who could instantly slide into a prominent role as a rookie.
That’s exactly what he did.
When Dallas sent Micah Parsons packing, they had an immediate opening on the edge. Ezeiruaku contributed from the jump, platooning at edge and eventually starting nine games as a rookie. He graded out as the second-best edge player in the draft class, falling just a hair behind New York’s Abdul Carter who was selected No. 3 overall.
Ezeiruaku’s rookie season was solid, collecting 26 pressures and two sacks. He didn’t always pass rush with a plan nor did he display a wide range of pass rush moves, but he showed enough to instill faith that he’ll become a double-digit sack master in the very near future. The rookie was as strong playing the run as he was rushing the passer. He’s doing things the right way and should grow into a well-rounded edge player as a result.
The Cowboys are still in the market for a defensive end this spring but that is by no means an indictment on Ezeiruaku. Make no mistake, Ezeiruaku factors into the long-term plans of the Cowboys significantly.
2025 rookie grade: B +
You can follow Reid on X @ReidDHanson and be sure to follow Cowboys Wire on Facebook to join in on the conversation with fellow fans!
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Rookie year grades: Cowboys Donovan Ezeiruaku flashes elite potential
Continue reading...
