{"id":44199,"date":"2025-04-26T07:29:02","date_gmt":"2025-04-26T07:29:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=44199"},"modified":"2025-04-26T07:29:02","modified_gmt":"2025-04-26T07:29:02","slug":"breaking-cowboys-pull-off-draft-heist-by-nabbing-first-round-talent-donovan-ezeiruaku","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=44199","title":{"rendered":"BREAKING: Cowboys pull off draft heist by nabbing first-round talent Donovan Ezeiruaku"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mb-0 md:mb-9 relative md:mx-10 md:mb-9\">\n<figure>\n<div class=\"overflow-hidden bg-lightGrey\"><picture><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"undefined w-full w-full\" title=\"Nov 16, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Boston College Eagles defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku (6) rushes against the SMU Mustangs offense during the first half at the Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images\" src=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_445,w_8256,h_4644\/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images\/ImagnImages\/mmsport\/129\/01jsqpme9n49v7spx739.jpg\" alt=\"Nov 16, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Boston College Eagles defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku (6) rushes against the SMU Mustangs offense during the first half at the Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images\" width=\"8256\" height=\"4644\" data-uw-rm-alt-original=\"Nov 16, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Boston College Eagles defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku (6) rushes against the SMU Mustangs offense during the first half at the Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images\" data-uw-rm-alt=\"ALT\" \/><\/picture><\/div><figcaption class=\"ml-1 pb-2 mt-4 md:m-3 text-darkGrey font-group-tiny\">Nov 16, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Boston College Eagles defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku (6) rushes against the SMU Mustangs offense during the first half at the Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex flex-wrap\">\n<div class=\"flex mr-4 lg:w-[calc(70%-3em)] max-w-full\"><main class=\"min-w-0 flex-1\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"viewablity-block\">\n<p id=\"inline-text-0\" class=\"mt-[18px] md:mt-0 mb-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">It had been a brutal start to day two of the NFL Draft for the Dallas Cowboys. Between Ohio State running backs Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson and Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden,\u00a0three of their top targets flew off the board\u00a0at the top of the second round.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-1\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">Backed into a corner, the Cowboys came out swinging and landed an absolute killer punch in the form of\u00a0Boston College EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku\u00a0with the No. 44 pick.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-2\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">With names like Trey Amos, Will Johnson and Shavon Revel all available, many thought Dallas might zero on a cornerback. Instead, they opt to add another pass rusher to complement Micah Parsons after they lost DeMarcus Lawrence and Chauncey Golston in free agency.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"inline-text-3\" class=\"scroll-mt-24 my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">Cowboys pull off draft heist, select Boston College DE Donovan Ezeiruaku<\/h2>\n<figure>\n<div class=\"twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered\"><iframe id=\"twitter-widget-0\" class=\"\" title=\"X Post\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1915919990273851664&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fthelandryhat.com%2Fcowboys-pull-off-draft-heist-by-nabbing-first-round-talent-donovan-ezeiruaku-01jsqmjxj6dz&amp;sessionId=08447d37748f799d6f7a208cdef4206edc5b41f6&amp;siteScreenName=LandryHat&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&amp;width=550px\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-tweet-id=\"1915919990273851664\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p id=\"inline-text-5\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">The Cowboys caught a lot of heat for reaching on Booker in the first round. Ezeiruaku is not just a home run pick, but he&#8217;s one of the biggest steals of the entire draft so far.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-6\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">Ezeiruaku is one of the most athletic pass rushers in this class. He led Boston College in sacks and tackles for loss as a sophomore (!) and junior before finishing top three in the FBS with 16.5 sacks and 20.5 tackles for loss. He is now the 13th consensus All-American in the program&#8217;s history.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-7\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">You can never have too many pass rushers and Ezeiruaku adds to a DE group that features arguably the best pass rusher in the game in Parsons, Dante Fowler, who&#8217;s coming off a career year with the Commanders, a hungry Sam Williams in a contract year and promising second-year man Marshawn Kneeland.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-8\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">While the team still needs a wide receiver, cornerback, defensive tackle and running back Ezeiruaku was too intriguing to pass up. Many draft experts gave him a first-round grade and Dallas just stole him in the middle of the second round.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/main><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Nov 16, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Boston College Eagles defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku (6) rushes against the SMU Mustangs offense during the first half at the Gerald&#8230; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":44200,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-44199","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>BREAKING: Cowboys pull off draft heist by nabbing first-round talent Donovan Ezeiruaku - 24\/7 News America<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=44199\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"BREAKING: Cowboys pull off draft heist by nabbing first-round talent Donovan Ezeiruaku - 24\/7 News America\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Nov 16, 2024; 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