Draft Dreamer: Donovan Ezeirauku

With NFL Free agency dwindling down, NFL front offices are fully focused on the draft. This is the chance for all teams to reset and fans to renew their hopes. If you have followed my work, then you know this is my favorite time of year, and it’s never too early to start breaking down NFL Draft prospects. This class is packed with players who are going to make an impact at the next level. I will cover each one of them from the big dudes in the trenches to the erasers patrolling the secondary. Let’s look at a prospect who is considered one of the top pass rushers in this class, Donovan Ezeirauku, of the Boston College Eagles.

The Background

Donovan Ezeirauku was a three-star outside linebacker for the Williamstown Braves in Williamstown, New Jersey. He recorded over 50 total tackles, with 7½ sacks as a junior and 47 tackles, nine TFLs, 11 QB hits, and two sacks as a senior. Ezeirauku helped lead the Braves to a New Jersey South/Central Group 5 regional championship as a junior, and as a senior captain, he helped lead the Braves to a 7-2 record. He finished his high school career ranked as the 27th best player in New Jersey and 195th linebacker overall. Ezerirauku also competed in track and field. Of the 15 offers he received, he would choose Boston College to further his playing career.

As a true freshman, Ezeirauku played in ten games for the Eagles, recording 21 total tackles, 14 solo stops, a 66.6% solo rate, four TFLs, and three sacks. He showed potential in such a small sample of playing time as a backup option. In his sophomore season, Ezeirauku would flourish in a much more significant role for the Eagles. He played in all 12 games, with 61 total tackles, 34 solo stops, 55.7% solo rate, 15 TFLs, 8½ sacks, three forced fumbles, and two PBUs. Ezeiruaku would lead the team and finish 4th in the nation in TFLs, sacks, and forced fumbles. He would be named to the All-Acc 2nd team.

Ezeiruaku would play and start all 13 games for the Eagles as a junior, with totals of 53 total tackles, 28 solo tackles, 52.8% solo rate, 6½ TFLs, two sacks, two forced fumbles, and one PBU. Not the breakout season that he ot the team had hoped for, but his senior season would be a different story. In 12 games played, he would record 80 total tackles, 37 solo stops, 46.2% solo rate, 21 TFLs, 16½ sacks, three forced fumbles, and one PBU. He would rank 4th in the nation in TFLs and 2nd in sacks, earning All-American honors. Ezeirauku would be named the ACC’s Defensive Player of the Year and the Ted Hendricks Award winner for the nation's top defensive end.

Player Breakdown

The first thing that jumps off his tape is his explosive first step. Ezeirauku’s explosion off the snap allows him to shoot through the gap and apply instant pressure. He plays aggressively and possesses a relentless motor, which proved to be a major problem for blockers last season. He processes plays quickly and uses his length to thwart off blockers. Ezeirauku displays good bend and flexibility, which allows him to keep his balance in traffic. At 6’2”, he has below average height for an EDGE, but his length and understanding of how to use leverage make up for that. While inconsistent as a pass rusher early in his career, it all came together for him last year as he was one of the nation's top pass rushers.

Ezeirauku has an expanded toolbox of pass rush moves and counters. He will occasionally get cute with finesse moves instead of just using power. While he has an excellent burst, his overall speed is somewhat lacking (4.62 sec). Ezeirauku can get in trouble when bigger o-linemen can lock on to him at the point of attack; his ability to anchor needs improving. He has the versatility to stand up in a 3-4 (OLB) and play with hand in the dirt in a 4-3 (DE). Does a good job of reading the run and attacking, but needs more strength and power to play through blocks. There will be questions about his one big year of production, but the film matches the numbers.

Ezeirauku is also not the cleanest when flowing through traffic to chase down plays. A modest improvement in this area of his game would lead to a lot more big plays for him. He’s at his best when he can capitalize on his elite technique and quickness. Ezeirauku excels at getting skinny through gaps/splitting blocks allowing him to excel behind the line of scrimmage. He shows good bend and athletic traits, with a solid variety of pass rush tools in his toolbox. Improvements in the run game can be made which will help his game overall. High football IQ player that gives full effort on every play.

NFL & Fantasy Projection

Depending on how teams view him and what their needs are, he’s a situational pass rusher at the least. If he can make the necessary improvements, he can be a full-time starter. In a league that values pass rushers highly, Ezeirauku is one of the top at the position in a rather deep class. There are a lot of things that Ezeirauku can improve on, but there is also a lot that he’s elite at. Pair him with a veteran pass rusher that he can learn from, and his ceiling can be quite high. Don’t put it all on his shoulders, where he can just play and the impact will come through. Let him be an early down option until he develops and polishes his overall game up and the reward is there.

Fantasy football is why we’re here, and Ezeirauku has a lot of value in all IDP formats. I projection is to be patient early and not panic sell if things don’t go right from the get-go. He’s one of the best pass rushers in this class, and with proper NFL coaching and development, I see him having a long and productive career. The one thing I haven’t mentioned to this point is that he’s a finisher, and that’s gonna carry a lot of weight with his new team and should for you in your evaluations of him. Like I said, it’s a deep pass rush class, but I see him being him being selected in the 2nd round. For your IDP rookie drafts, the right draft value is late 3rd/early 4th round. Remember it’s a deep class, so no need to reach.

Thanks for reading my article. I am a member of the FSWA (Fantasy Sports Writers of America). Follow me on Twitter at @HollywoodTitan, on Facebook on my IDPNation page, on Reddit in the fantasy football IDP sub — I’m user KingTitan1 — and tune in each week and listen to IDP Nation and Devy IDP Grind, the podcasts that I co-host, on several different platforms. Feel free to email or dm me with any questions that you have, as I’m always glad to help fellow IDPers. #IDPNation #IDP #IDPDevy