Photo: JaoTorey Johnson, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons²

Donovan Ezeiruaku

Linebacker, Dallas Cowboys · #6.

Player facts

Team: Dallas Cowboys
Position: Linebacker
Number: 6
Born: Sep 25, 2003 (age 23)
Birthplace: Williamstown, NJ, USA
Height: 6' 2"
Weight: 255 lbs
College: Boston College
Experience: 2 seasons
Status: Active

Stats

2026 Defense

	TOT	SOLO	AST	SACK	FF	STF	STFYDS
Regular Season	26	12	14	0.5	1	1	1
Last 5 Games	26	12	14	0.5	1	1	0
Career	66	32	34	2.5	2	9.5	18

Recent games

			Tackles				Fumbles		Interceptions
Date	Opponent	Result	TOT	SOLO	AST	SACK	FF	FR	INT	YDS	AVG	TD	LNG	PD	KB
Thu, Oct 8	vs TB	L 24-16	6	2	4	0	0	0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0	0
Sun, Oct 4	@ HOU	W 34-30	3	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0	0
Sun, Sep 27	vs BAL	L 34-31	4	3	1	0	0	0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0	0
Sun, Sep 20	vs WSH	W 37-20	3	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0	0
Sun, Sep 13	@ NYG	L 28-20	10	4	6	0.5	1	0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0	0

Last 5 games. Click a game for its box score.

About

Donovan Kanayochukwu Ezeiruaku (Ezz-ah-RAH-koo; born September 25, 2003) is an American professional football outside linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Boston College Eagles, winning the 2024 Ted Hendricks Award before being selected by the Cowboys in the second round of the 2025 NFL draft.

From Wikipedia’s article on Donovan Ezeiruaku, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.¹

Background

Early life

Ezeiruaku was born on September 25, 2003, in Philadelphia and grew up in Williamstown, New Jersey. He attended Williamstown High School and as a senior in 2021, recorded 47 tackles, including nine tackles for loss, and two sacks while leading his team to a 7–2 record. Ezeiruaku committed to play college football at Boston College over schools such as Northern Illinois, Temple and Vanderbilt.

2021 season

As a freshman in 2021, Ezeiruaku racked up 19 tackles, three tackles for loss, and two sacks.

2022 season

In the 2022 season opener, Ezeiruaku recorded nine tackles with two being for a loss, a sack, and two forced fumbles in a loss to Rutgers. In week ten, he had seven tackles with two being for a loss, a sack, and a forced fumble in a loss to Duke. In the season finale, Ezeiruaku tallied nine tackles with three going for a loss, and 2.5 sacks, but Boston College lost to Syracuse 32–23. He finished the season with 61 tackles with 14.5 going for a loss, 8.5 sacks, two pass deflections, and three forced fumbles, earning second-team all-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) honors.

2023 season

Ezeiruaku was named preseason first-team all-ACC ahead of the 2023 season. In week 5 against Virginia, he recorded 6 total tackles, and 2 sacks. The following week against Army Ezeiruaku had five total tackles, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. The Eagles finished with an upset win in the Fenway Bowl against the No. 24 SMU Mustangs.

2024 season

To start the season, the Eagles upset the No. 10 Florida State Seminoles 28–13, in which Ezeiruaku recorded four total tackles and two sacks. In Week 5 against Western Kentucky, Ezeiruaku recorded 14 total tackles, three sacks, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery. The following week against Virginia, Ezeiruaku recorded 10 total tackles and a sack. In Week 13 against North Carolina, Ezeiruaku had two sacks and six total tackles. The following week against Pittsburgh, he recorded 3.5 sacks, putting him with 16.5 sacks on the season, tying the record held by Harold Landry for the most sacks in a season in Boston College football history. He was named 2024 ACC Defensive Player of the Year and was awarded the Ted Hendricks Award as the nation's top defensive end.