The Dallas Cowboys made two big trades to help their defense on Tuesday, adding Quinnen Williams and Logan Wilson. We shall see how much Wilson helps, but there is no doubt that Williams will have a massive impact right away for Dallas. The hope is that Williams, along with the rest of their defensive tackles, will help transform a unit that has really struggled in both the run and pass game.
But there is another player on the defensive line who could dramatically alter the future for the Dallas Cowboys, and that is Donovan Ezeiruaku, the second-round pick from Boston College.
It’s taken him a few weeks to get going, but everything that he has put on tape over the last six weeks should have Cowboys fans giddy about his long-term future.
Cowboys DE Donovan Ezeiruaku is a star in the making
Stats can be deceiving and that’s the case for Ezeiruaku, who has recorded only two sacks this season. But the second-round pick is creating a bunch of pressures and has been incredibly disruptive anytime that he’s been on the field.
In a recent article by Dane Brugler of The Athletic, he named his All-Rookie Team midway through the 2025 season. And to no one’s surprise, Ezeiruaku made the list ahead of several first-round pass rushers, including Jalon Walker, Shemar Stewart, Mykel Williams, James Pearce Jr. and more. Here is what Brugler had to say about Ezeiruaku so far this season:
"Ezeiruaku has been around the football all season, and he notched his second sack Monday night against Arizona. His impact can be felt way beyond the sacks category, however. TruMedia tracks a “splash” statistic, which compiles impact plays such as sacks, tackles for loss, turnovers, third-down stops, etc. — Ezeiruaku leads all rookies with 16 splash plays."Dane Brugler, The Athletic
Ezeiruaku finished Week 9 with five pressures, the most of his career. And since Week 5, he has the sixth-best win-rate (19.1%) among all qualifying NFL players, according to Pro Football Focus. While that is a smaller sample (five games), it matches what we see on the field. He’s creating pressure at a high rate, and the hope is that he can start to turn more of those pressures into sacks.
The hope is that with Williams now in the middle, it will create even more one-on-one opportunities for Ezeiruaku on the outside. And now that Dallas has officially made him a starter, it wouldn’t be a shock if we continue to see rapid development from him moving forward.
The 2025 defense for the Cowboys will be one of the worst in franchise history. But there are now pieces in place, like Williams and Ezeiruaku, that give this unit a lot of hope moving into the future. Keep an eye on the stud rookie for Dallas in the second half of the season, as his development will be one of the most important things for the long-term health of the franchise.