2025 NFL Draft - 2nd Round Pick - Donovan Ezeiruaku, DE, Boston College

[ravidubey]

Right, the point stands even if he's 252 or 253 or whatever. Still very small for a 43 DE.

Especially when the other guy is the same size.

Even Freeny and Mathis were bigger, and they only worked because they had Peyton Manning scoring 40 points.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

And now we can’t replace him, because the Joneses never admit failure

That's the real concern. Maybe BS and new coaches will make a difference there. Big and Little Enos do seem to love Eberflus. (Probably not, though.)

 

[Cowboysrock55]

So to me, our base defense is basically the same as last year with all its problems

All the LBers are different too. Although not sure they are better. Just deeper and different.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Especially when the other guy is the same size.

Even Freeny and Mathis were bigger, and they only worked because they had Peyton Manning scoring 40 points.

You're a size whore.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

All the LBers are different too. Although not sure they are better. Just deeper and different.

Right, probably about the same. Loofa I think will be pretty good. Murray is what he's always been, physical specimen but no instincts. Sanborn should be a plus. But Kendricks was by far our best LB last year and he's gone.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Right, probably about the same. Loofa I think will be pretty good. Murray is what he's always been, physical specimen but no instincts. Sanborn should be a plus. But Kendricks was by far our best LB last year and he's gone.

I mean Overshown was our best but unfortunately it will be awhile before he comes back. But yeah we traded Sanborn and Murray for Kendricks essentially. I mean Kendricks was good for us but definitely on his last legs. We got faster and more athletic.

Also not sure about James. I feel about the same with him as I did Loofa. We seem to be a lot deeper at LBer this year though.

 

[ravidubey]

You're a size whore.

Talent and size.

We can’t stop the run because our guys are penetrators who can’t anchor and block, though Kneeland gives me hope. We haven’t seriously stopped the run for decades.

Mazi has the size, but no idea how to use it. Size without talent just gets in the way.

I don’t see Micah taking down a pulling guard so LBs can tackle the option ball carrier. He’s done it against smaller players like backs, but not OL. Micah is not who we want sealing the edge… he’s the tip of the blade who should be making the stuff. Now we’ve got another fast rusher on the other side, so there’s no chance of scheming the interior players to compensate.

I like that EZ can play the run and maybe he can be like Tank was in that regard, but even Lawrence weighs 260. Going to be a while before EZ gets there. Gregory tried plowing through an OT his first game and had his leg buckle. NFL physics just doesn’t favor it over 60 plays.

The LOS is not meant for multiple 250 pound players.

 

[NoDak]

Right, the point stands even if he's 252 or 253 or whatever. Still very small for a 43 DE.

Charles Haley size.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Charles Haley size.

Right, but Tolbert on the other side was regular DE size and good against the run.

I just don't know about playing two guys that size at the same time. Against the run, I mean.

 

[NoDak]

Right, but Tolbert on the other side was regular DE size and good against the run.

I just don't know about playing two guys that size at the same time. Against the run, I mean.

Kneeland is 268. Is that not big enough on the base D?

 

[ravidubey]

Charles Haley size.

When he started, and then it was as a 3-4 OLB in SF.

In Dallas he had gained weight, but he also played next to Tony Casillas and Leon Lett with Russell Maryland, Jimmy Jones, and Chad Hennings backing them up in a constant rotation.

He himself was part of a deep rotation with Jim Jeffcoat, Tony Tolbert, and Tony Hill all getting snaps.

So yeah, you can punch above your weight when you share snaps with a lot of talented, undersized guys, but you need a lot of them. Impossible in the free agency era. That 92 team went nine deep— outrageous by today’s standards

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Kneeland is 268. Is that not big enough on the base D?

Sam Williams is over 260 as well. We have big DEs to use as well. We aren't going to play the same 2 DEs 90% of the game. If anything this gives us a chance to rest Parsons.

 

[ravidubey]

Sam Williams is over 260 as well. We have big DEs to use as well. We aren't going to play the same 2 DEs 90% of the game. If anything this gives us a chance to rest Parsons.

That’s the play that makes sense, or get all your pass rushers on the field in 3rd and 6+.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Impossible in the free agency era

We have 4 DEs who were either first or second round picks by us. We have Fowler who was a first round pick and a double digit sacks guy more than once (260 pounds also). That's 5 DEs to rotate in. How many more do you need?

FYI Fowler played 52% of snaps in Washington on defense. Which was like twice as many snaps in a season as he ever did in Dallas. He wasn't just a pass rush specialist there. I still scratch my head as to why they let him go.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Kneeland is 268. Is that not big enough on the base D?

Sure, and I like Kneeland. But if Eze is as good as everyone says, I assume we'd want to play him and Micah at the same time, at least eventually.

 

[NoDak]

Sure, and I like Kneeland. But if Eze is as good as everyone says, I assume we'd want to play him and Micah at the same time, at least eventually.

In passrush situations, sure. But I'd bet in early downs/short yardage we won't see a lot of Eze and it will be Kneeland.

 

[Simpleton]

In passrush situations, sure. But I'd bet in early downs/short yardage we won't see a lot of Eze and it will be Kneeland.

Kneeland and maybe even some Solomon Thomas as a jumbo DE.

 

[boozeman]

I mean Overshown was our best but unfortunately it will be awhile before he comes back. But yeah we traded Sanborn and Murray for Kendricks essentially. I mean Kendricks was good for us but definitely on his last legs. We got faster and more athletic.

Also not sure about James. I feel about the same with him as I did Loofa. We seem to be a lot deeper at LBer this year though.

In general, they have taken steps to fortify the group. We had dudes like Nick Vigil and soon to be cut Damone Clark running around out there at times.

 

[Simpleton]

In general, they have taken steps to fortify the group. We had dudes like Nick Vigil and soon to be cut Damone Clark running around out there at times.

Eberflus clearly values LB more than most DC's we've had around here recently.

 

[boozeman]

Eberflus clearly values LB more than most DC's we've had around here recently.

That is his specialty. Quinn, Zimmer not so much.