Blogging The Boys
The latest Cowboys news.
Donovan Ezeiruaku gets some love as a projected All-Rookie Edge winner along with Abdul Carter.
Edge
Boston College
Drafted: Round 2, No. 44 overall
Like we just discussed with Abdul Carter, Ezeiruaku walks into an advantageous environment. Sharing the field with perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate Micah Parsons, the rookie is set to receive favorable matchups — and he has the pass-rushing arsenal to take advantage of them. With pterodactyl length and hair-on-fire spirit, Ezeiruaku explodes off the snap with a quick first step, often allowing him to get the edge and bend to the quarterback. If the pure speed rush doesn’t work, no worries: The dude knows how to use his hands, and he has a full bag of tricks that range from a spin to a Euro step to a pretty wicked ghost move. So, why did he last until midway through the second round? Well, he’s on the lighter side, naturally raising concerns about how he’ll set the edge against NFL blockers. But the Boston College product is poised to rack up the kind of sexy stats that garner recognition, having finished last season at second in the FBS in sacks (16.5) and third in tackles for loss (20.5).
Get to know the rookie.
3. A surprise pick?
After being drafted, Ezeiruaku revealed he didn’t have much contact with the Cowboys ahead of the draft. He said he had an informal meeting with Dallas at the NFL scouting combine, but never had an official visit.
“I wasn’t really expecting anything [when the Cowboys were picking],” Ezeiruaku said in his post-draft news conference, “and then my phone vibrated and I saw the caller ID. It had The Star, and I just answered it. I didn’t know who was calling me at first, but it was very surreal for sure.”
4. Award collector
Ezeiruaku should be an impactful addition on Dallas’ defensive front. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler listed him as one of the top pass rushers in the class, falling just behind names like Mykel Williams, Mike Green and Shemar Stewart.
Ezeiruaku showed consistent improvement throughout his time at Boston College, posting his best season in 2024. He came away with 80 tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss and 16.5 sacks.
His standout campaign ended with a consensus All-American selection and first-team All-ACC honors. He was also named ACC Defensive Player of the Year and won the Ted Hendricks Award, given annually to college football’s top defensive end.
8. Three-down value
NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein had some high praise for the second-round pick in his 2025 draft profile, saying Ezeiruaku “uses every bit of...
