Analytics show the Cowboys got a huge steal during 2025 NFL Draft

The Dallas Cowboys have received a lot of praise for their 2025 draft class, and a big reason why is due to the selection of Boston College pass rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku. Many draft experts believed that he could have been a first-round pick as he was the No. 22 player on The Athletic’s Consensus Big Board.

The tape for Ezeiruaku was fantastic, and his performance during the 2025 Senior Bowl solidified his spot inside the top 50 picks. But how does Ezeiruaku compare from an analytics perspective compared to the other top pass rushers in the class?

In a recent article by ESPN, they asked their hosts of NFL experts to name their favorite picks from the 2025 NFL Draft. In that piece, Seth Walder, the Sports Analytics Director at ESPN, named Ezeiruaku as his favorite pick in the class.

Cowboys' Donovan Ezeiruaku pick continues to look like excellent value

Here is what he had to say about the Cowboys stealing the Boston College pass rusher at pick No. 44:

"My sack model had Ezeiruaku essentially tied with James Pearce Jr. for the third-best forecast in the class. Despite not playing for an elite team in college (which can sometimes boost a player's sack numbers), he racked up 16.5 sacks in 2024. Dallas only had to use a second-round pick to get him."

Seth Walder, ESPN

Walder’s model relies on sack numbers and pressure rate to rank pass rushers and he had only Abdul Carter and Mike Green ranked ahead of Ezeiruaku coming into the draft. But sack totals aren’t the only encouraging metric for Ezeiruaku.

Tackles for a loss is one of the most predictive statistics when it comes to evaluating pass rushers, and the key number is 1.5 tackles for loss per game in a single season. If a pass rusher can reach that mark, the odds of him becoming a Pro Bowl player in the NFL are very high.

Ezeiruaku reached that number during the 2024 college football season, recording 1.75 tackles for loss per game (21 total) for Boston College. The fact that he has so many sacks and tackle for a loss production is a great indicator of potential success in the NFL. It’s also worth mentioning that Ezeiruaku had another season (2022) where he recorded 15 tackles for a loss in 12 games, which is incredibly impressive when you account for his age.

The Cowboys are hoping that Ezeiruaku can contribute as a rookie, likely as a situational pass rusher. They have quite a bit of depth on the defensive line with Micah Parsons, Dante Fowler, Marshawn Kneeland, and Sam Williams.

But if Ezeiruaku can prove that he can create consistent pressure opposite Parsons, it’s going to be tough to take him off the field. The expectations are high for this All-American pass rusher, and they should be given his track record of production in the ACC.