Donovan Ezeiruaku, EDGE, Boston College

Height: 6'2"
Weight: 247 lbs
School: Boston College

Year	Tackles	Quarterback Pressures	Sacks
2024	41	61	14
2023	37	34	2
2022	39	35	8
2021	17	11	2

Pros:

• Speed: Ezeiruaku (EZ-uh-ROCK-oo) is a twitched up ball of energy off the edge. He has a quick get-off, a relentless motor, and maintains a high speed throughout his pass rush. 
• Agility: Ezeiruaku has great agility and twitch, and showcased that throughout his pass rush. His flexibility, especially to bend the corner, is one of his biggest strengths.
• Change of direction: That agility also shows up in Ezeiruaku's ability to change direction, quickly shifting his balance in whatever direction is required to chase after the ball carrier. His agility allows him to quickly and effortlessly change direction.
• Production profile: Ezeiruaku finished the 2024 season second in the country with 16.5 sacks, third in quarterback pressures with 61, and led the country with 18 quarterback hits. His production profile is among the best in the country. 

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Cons:

• Strength: For as fast as he is, strength is equally as much of an issue. Ezeiruaku is frequently pushed off the ball and lacks the strength needed to fight through blocks, particularly in the run game. 
  
• Run defense: The lack of play strength shows itself in a major way when opposing linemen are able to get their hands on him on run plays. Ezeiruaku often defaults to taking a slashing approach, since he doesn't display the strength on a consistent basis the set an edge or win with power to hold the point of attack. 

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Player Evaluation:

Ezeiruaku is such a fun prospect, and what he brings to the table as a pass rusher will have him primed for frequent success at the next level. He plays with the type of motor and competitiveness that will make him an early fan favorite on whichever team drafts him, with enthusiastic celebrations and juice apparent often. 

Speed is his game, but he's a refined technician as well. Ezeiruaku has numerous moves and counters in his bag to pull from, not simply replying on speed to attack the edge, but also sets tackles up to attack them on the inside shoulder. 

Play strength is a legitimate concern, especially for a bit of an undersized pass rusher listed at 6'2". As is often the case, we'll see what his official measurements are. Whichever team selects him will likely want to work with him to bulk up.

That aside, the pros outweigh the cons in a major way with Ezeiruaku, providing a ton of speed and production to a defensive front in an increasingly fast game. His speed, whether chasing after quarterbacks or running down players from behind, is a perfect fit in today's NFL. 

Player Comparison:

Nick Herbig (Pittsburgh Steelers)

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a second year pass rusher that's bursting onto the scene in a big way this year in Nick Herbig. He offers similar abilities and body type as Ezeiruaku, listed at 6'2" 240 lbs. Much like Ezeiruaku, Herbig struggles a bit against the run, but has proven to be a valuable pass rusher that's not afraid to attack the inside shoulder of tackles despite being a smaller pass rusher.

A to Z Rankings:

A to Z Big Board Ranking: #70 overall, #12 EDGE

A to Z Draft Grade: 7.41

Draft Projection: Day 2 (7.01-8.00)