Latest news with #Ezeiruaku
USA Today
5 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Rams' Jared Verse the most comprehensive measuring stick for Cowboys in joint practice
Joint practices with the Los Angeles Rams couldn't have come at a better time. The Dallas Cowboys have reached a point of skepticism in training camp and only a respected opponent like L.A. can validate, or invalidate, suspicions. One particular Rams player should be extra comprehensive in his measuring-stick offerings for the Cowboys and that man is second-year standout Jared Verse. One year ago, it was Verse who gave the Dallas offensive line fits in joint practices. The first-round pick displayed all the explosive traits of a blue-chip pass rusher and offered the Cowboys a glimpse of what life would be like in 2024 with Terence Steele and Tyler Guyton bookending the Cowboys offensive line. Once again, Verse gets the opportunity to do just that in training camp. In intrateam practices in Oxnard, the Cowboys feel Steele has taken a step forward in his pass protection and Guyton's injury replacement, Nate Thomas, has what it takes to adequately man the left tackle position in the NFL. If both players can look respectable against Verse over the week, the Cowboys should feel confident in their offensive tackle situation heading into the 2025 season. If they struggle in the way the Cowboys OTs struggled last year, the Cowboys may need to brace for impact and adjust their playbook accordingly. What makes Verse so comprehensive in his measuring stick ways, is he offers the same validation as the Cowboys' top edge players. The Cowboys have been extremely high on the play of their defensive end rotation this summer. Dante Fowler, Sam Williams, Payton Turner and Marshawn Kneeland all look to be in store for career seasons. As if that wasn't enough, the rookie Donovan Ezeiruaku looks like he may just be the NFL's next great edge player. His explosiveness in practices has conjured up memories of Verse last summer, turning corners, laying counters, and generally embarrassing opponents with his athleticism and technical skills. Is Ezeiruaku the real deal or is he just taking advantage of a terrible OT situation in Dallas? For weeks Ezeiruaku has looked like a superstar in Cowboys camp. With Micah Parsons sidelined in a contract impasse, there hasn't been a true comp on the field to validate his skillset. With joint practices this week, Verse is the example Ezeiruaku must follow and offers side-by-side comparison for a Cowboys coaching staff wondering if their rookie pass rusher is the real deal. Obviously, Verse is going to have his share of wins even in the most optimistic of scenarios for Dallas. The 2024 Defensive Rookie of the Year is one of the best pass rushers in the game so expecting otherwise is unrealistic. The Cowboys OTs are simply looking to hang. They need to show they are more than speedbumps and turnstiles and can actually buy time for their quarterback in the pocket. Verse is also almost guaranteed to look considerably better than Ezeiruaku in side-by-side comps. Verse is an elite prospect with one year under his belt and awards hanging on his wall. The Cowboys just need to see if the two are playing at the same speed and playing on a similarly steep trajectory. There's much to gain from the joint practices this week but there's no single opposing player who offers a more comprehensive measuring stick for the Cowboys than Jared Verse. You can follow Reid on X @ReidDHanson and be sure to follow Cowboys Wire on Facebook to join in on the conversation with fellow fans!
USA Today
04-08-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Cowboys may have stumbled into a superstar as a second-round pick angles toward starting
The Dallas Cowboys needed help at defensive end for the 2025 season. Facing the loss of long-time starter and multiple-time Pro Bowler DeMarcus Lawrence, the team needed reinforcements. The club had drafted the position, highly, but had yet to reap any dominating rewards. So when the opportunity presented itself to secure themselves the potential steal of the 2025 draft, they jumped on it Dallas secured the services of perhaps the best pass-rushing defensive end of the draft when they drafted Boston College's Donovan Ezeiruaku. But pre-draft accolades don't matter if it doesn't manifest itself on a pro field, and while training camp isn't the real thing, what Ezeiruaku has shown in Oxnard has a lot of people extremely excited. Rundown Position: Defensive End Age: 21 Height: 6-foot-2 Weight: 248 pounds Hometown: Williamstown, NJ High School: Williamstown College: Boston College (Highlights) Draft: 2025 Second Round (No. 44 overall) Acquired: 2025 draft Contract: Four-year contract (2025), $10.2 million 2025 Base Salary: $840,000, $1.85 million cap hit Profile With Micah Parsons not participating in practice due to his contract dispute, Ezeiruaku has been declaring himself as a true force to reckon with. Lining up primarily as a left defensive end, Ezeiruaku has shown a complex rush attack that is far beyond his years. He's also displayed the ability to set the edge, looking like he's ready to take on a starting role sooner rather than later. Dallas brought back Dante Fowler, who left for a season in Washington, and the expectation was that he'd be starting opposite Parsons, but that may not be the case and if it is may not be for long. The Cowboys also signed Payton Turner, a former first-round pick like Fowler, as veteran depth. They join last year's second rounder Marshawn Kneeland as Parsons' supporting cast. That's before mentioning 2022 second-round pick Sam Williams, who is looking to return from an ACL injury. Together, the Cowboys have assembled a tremendously pedigreed group at defensive end, but Ezeiruaku looks like a potential breakout star amongst the room. Follow Cowboys Wire on Facebook to join in on the conversation with fellow fans!
USA Today
18-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Cowboys, second-round pick finally agree to terms on eve of training camp
Dallas inks its second-round pick and finalizes all 2025 draft deals before heading to Oxnard. The Dallas Cowboys have agreed to terms on a four-year deal worth $10.1 million with rookie defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku. Dallas' first-year defender will reportedly see the first three years of his deal guaranteed, and 38% of his fourth-year salary guaranteed, the long wait, was sparked due to a league wide standoff with second round picks and their agents trying to secure fully guaranteed deals, after Texans' WR Jayden Higgins, pick No. 34, became the first second rounder in NFL history to sign a fully guaranteed rookie contract and was followed by Browns' LB Carson Schwessinger at pick No. 33 to the same deal, which has caused several second round picks to sign late in the offseason and now following the signing of Ezeiruaku, 19 players overall from round two have still not signed their rookie deals. Dallas selected Ezeiruaku at pick No. 44 in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft out of Boston College. The signing of Ezeiruaku secures Dallas' entire 2025 draft class just days ahead of the start of training camp in California. During his time with Boston College, Ezeiruaku recorded 215 tackles, 30 sacks, 47 tackles for loss, and eight forced fumbles. In his senior season, the 6-foot-2, 237-pound defender cemented his name on the NFL's radar, finishing with 80 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, 16.5 sacks, and three forced fumbles. As a result, the Williamstown, New Jersey native was named the 2024 ACC Defensive Player of the Year, as well as a Consensus All-American, First-team All-ACC, and was the 22nd winner of the Ted Hendricks award, which is given annually to the nation's best defensive end. Ezeiruaku will play alongside a defensive end group that features All-Pro Micah Parsons, a returning veteran in Dante Fowler Jr., and Sam Williams, who Dallas lost last year during training camp to a torn ACL. Dallas will report for its 2025 training camp period on Monday, July 21, with the first official practice set for Wednesday, July 23. Follow Cowboys Wire on Facebook to join in on the conversation with fellow fans!
NBC Sports
18-07-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Cowboys and second-round pick Donovan Ezeiruaku agree to rookie contract
The latest second-round draft pick to get his rookie contract done just before training camp is Cowboys defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku. Although there hasn't been an official announcement, the Cowboys' website notes multiple reports saying Ezeiruaku has agreed to terms. The pace of second-round draft pick signings has been slow this year amid disagreements between teams and agents about how much of each pick's rookie contract will be guaranteed. There's no immediate word on the guarantee Ezeiruaku got, but suffice to say it will be less than the full guarantee the top three picks of the second round received, but more than the 44th overall pick last year got. Ezeiruaku played his college football at Boston College and last year was the ACC defensive player of the year, a first-team All-American, and the winner of the Ted Hendricks Award for the best defensive end in college football.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cowboys Rookie Predicted to Be Better Than Travis Hunter
Cowboys Rookie Predicted to Be Better Than Travis Hunter originally appeared on Athlon Sports. FRISCO - It is just about that time of year. As we say every summer as the Dallas Cowboys make their way to training camp in Oxnard, this year with a July 21 reporting date ... Advertisement "The ocean is blue. The sun is yellow. The grass is green. The halter-tops are right. And every guy on the Dallas roster has Pro Bowl potential.'' Seriously, it is an annual ritual around here to grossly overrate every single thing about "America's Team.'' And in my 36 years as a Cowboys beat writer, there is virtually no way to kill the phenomenon. But ... can we at least slow it a bit? Before the April NFL Draft, many national media observers tried to tie Dallas to 2024 Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter. There was never any reason to do so, never any solid connection. (And no, the fact that his coach at Colorado was Cowboys legend Deion Sanders doesn't count.) Advertisement The selection process came and went. At the top of the draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars maneuvered around and landed Hunter, the unique two-way star who many believe is the best athlete in this class. Meanwhile, Dallas took Alabama guard Tyler Booker in Round 1, and there is nothing wrong with that. And in Round 2, Dallas took Boston College edge Donovan Ezeiruaku, and there is nothing wrong with that. Except ... Now, the "America's Team'' hype has one of those national websites suggesting that Ezeiruaku has a chance to be better in 2025 than Hunter. Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski names six rookies who could be more exciting than the Jacksonville rookie in Year 1. Inside the list, he writes, "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." Advertisement All of that is fine. And with the presence of Micah Parsons on the other end, Ezeiruaku might get his chances to rack up sacks. But first he's got to get snaps. And the smart projection is that Hunter is going to win Rookie of the Year ... while Ezeiruaku is busy trying to climb up a depth chart that includes Parsons, Dante Fowler, Sam Williams and more. Yes, once we get to Oxnard, the ocean is blue, the sun is yellow and the grass is green. But the colors are not going to be bright enough to justify this projection, which in a sense only serves to raise expectations in a way that is actually unfair to the Dallas rookie. Related: Cowboys Trade Of Micah Parsons To Patriots Rumor Gets NFL Insiders Traction Related: Cowboys Secret Weapon Ranks High as NFL Rookie Sleeper This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
