The Dallas Cowboys entered Week 9 in hopes of defeating a reeling Arizona Cardinals team and staying afloat in the NFC playoff picture. However, another disastrous performance from the defense and a lackluster effort from the potent offense, the Cowboys find themselves in deep trouble.
There weren’t many positive takeaways in the loss, but the defensive line had good moments in being able to get to Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett. In particular, rookie edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku made the most of his opportunity on Monday night and could be the Cowboys' secret weapon coming out of the trade deadline.
For Cowboys fans still reeling from the Micah Parsons trade, Ezeiruaku can provide a similar spark as a pass rusher. His explosive ability and speed combined with his capability to be a power rusher is a recipe that should excite the fanbase going forward beyond his rookie season.
Cowboys May Have Found Their Next Star Edge Rusher in Donovan Ezeiruaku
The second round draft pick in this year’s draft has shown incredible promise, not only from his success in college, but his steady improvement throughout this season. Despite being buried on the depth chart, Ezeiruaku has proved to be among the best at pressuring the quarterback since Week 4. It was in defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus’ hands to untie the rookie’s leash.
In last week’s game against the Denver Broncos, Ezeiruaku was limited to 32 snaps. Against the Cardinals, Ezeiruaku saw the field on 51 of the team’s defensive snaps and recorded his second sack of the season to go along with a tackle for loss.
But his impact was felt more than what the numbers tell you. Ezeiruaku recorded a career-high five pressures, according to Pro Football Focus. One could also argue his presence opened lanes up for the struggling Jadeveon Clowney and Osa Odighizuwa, who had six and five pressures, respectively.
The trade deadline acquisition of All-Pro defensive tackle Quinnen Williams shouldn’t affect Ezeiruaku snap count or production because he’s an edge rusher. However, for Ezeiruaku to continue to see an increase in his playing time, it could mean a lesser role for the likes of Sam Williams and Dante Fowler Jr.
The addition of Williams to the team will also most likely make life for Ezeiruaku much easier. Williams requires a lot of attention, often drawing double or even triple teams on either running or passing downs. When a team pays that much attention to one individual, it opens up 1-on-1 opportunities for others, and for a guy like Ezeiruaku, that could be a scary scene for opposing tackles.
Going forward, Ezeiruaku has made a strong case to the coaching staff to be a starter, and considering where they took him in the draft, there should be no reason why he doesn’t.