Donovan Ezeiruaku Scouting Report
By: Michael Higgins
(Image courtesy of Brett Davis/USA Today Sports)
School: Boston College
Class: Senior
Position: EDGE
HT: 6’2
WT: 248 lbs
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Background: Donovan Ezeiruaku was a 3-star linebacker out of Williamstown, New Jersey. Ezeiruaku was a top 30 player in New Jersey and barely a top 200 linebacker in the class of 2021. Donovan helped lead Williamstown High School to a West Jersey championship in 2020. Donovan Ezeiruaku committed to Boston College instead of Harvard, Yale, and Vanderbilt.
College: Donovan was a rotational player as a true freshman in 2021. He managed to log 4 TFLs and 3 sacks that year. As a sophomore in 2022, Ezeiruaku was an All-ACC Second Team member after recording 14.5 TFLs and 8.5 sacks. Donovan’s numbers as a junior in 2023 took a step back even though he started every game. He totaled 6.5 TFLs and 2 sacks. He burst back onto the scene in 2024. Donovan was a First Team All-ACC selection and ACC Defensive Player of the Year. He was also a consensus First Team All-American after recording 20.5 TFLs and 16.5 sacks.
Strengths: Donovan Ezeiruaku had a productive final season at Boston College and capped it off with an excellent NFL Draft Combine. Ezeiruaku displays elite athleticism, moving extremely well for his position. He gets into the backfield as a run defender with that athleticism and ability to easily shed blockers to make a serious impact in that area of the game. As a pass rusher, Ezeiruaku is extremely active. He has a high motor with an unmatched compete level that overwhelms offensive tackles. Ezeiruaku does well to counter inside to prevent himself from working too far up field. He has effective counter moves that allow him to shed blocks with ease. His measurables and length are shown at the point of attack, where he can long arm opponents to give himself space to work and prevent the opponent from gaining a grip on him. Ezeiruaku has fluid hips and excellent movement skills. He is able to contort his body in such unique ways in order to win his matchup. Whether it is bending around the edge or squeezing through the B gap, he has plenty of ways to win.
Weaknesses: Ezeriruaku is undersized when compared to the traditional edge rusher. He can get swallowed up by pure strength on the line and double teams make him virtually ineffective. While he is smaller, he does not possess elite speed off the edge to overwhelm offensive tackles. His pursuit is reliant upon angles and he loses foot races.
Conclusion: Donovan Ezeiruaku is a dynamic edge rusher who can win with athleticism and finesse. He lacks elite speed or strength, but he wins with incredible craftiness on the edge. Ezeiruaku is a productive run defender as well and can be seen as a player who can play a majority of snaps in a rotation.
Scheme Fit: Odd Man Front
Ideal Role: OLB/EDGE
Best Team Fits: ATL, NYG, TEN
Player Comparison: Azeez Ojulari
Player Grade: Round 4 (64.3)
