A good pass-rush plan can be every bit as effective as having the natural tools to terrorize offensive lineman.
Donovan Ezeiruaku led all Power Four pass-rushers with 16.5 sacks last season. He finished one sack short of leading the entire nation. He’s smooth off the edge and understands how to attack blockers.
“Ezeiruaku wins by setting up his pass-rush moves, stemming inside or outside and using a euro-step to cover ground laterally and get to the other side,” B/R scout Matt Holder wrote. “His primary moves are cross-chop and dip-rip and his bend borders the elite category to win around the edge. Also, he has a couple of good counters with an inside arm-over/swim move and ghost rush.”
The reason the reigning Ted Hendricks Award winner appears on this list is due to where he landed. The Dallas Cowboys selected him with this year’s 44th overall draft pick.
The 21-year-old will have the chance to fully capitalize on opponents being distracted by Micah Parsons at all times, which should create plenty of opportunities for Ezeiruaku to win one-on-one matchups. Thus, he could create a significant impact from Day 1.
“He’s doing great. He’s doing really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, great,” Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer said last month. “… you can’t watch the guy and not get excited just watching them do the things that we’re doing out there on the grass, the things that we saw coming out of Boston College. And then the work ethic is elite.”
