Cindy Ezeiruaku says her son, Boston College senior defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku, set an ambitious goal at the youngest of ages.
“Donovan was a young kid who always said that he wanted to play professional football,” his mother said in a recent phone interview with the Courier-Post. “I am excited, we’re all very excited.”
There’s a lot to be excited about.
This past season Ezeiruaku was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year and a consensus first-team All-American. As a senior he tied the program’s single-season sack record at 16.5, which was second nationally. He led the country in sacks per game (1.38).
As the NFL draft commences Thursday through Saturday in Green Bay, Ezeiruaku is among a number of South Jersey athletes who could hear their names called (see chart at bottom of the story).
In fact, many have projected the 6-foot-2 ½, 248-pound Ezeiruaku to be a first-round selection.
Nobody is more bullish on his potential than Boston College head coach Bill O’Brien, who knows the NFL well. In his six full seasons as head coach of the Houston Texans, O’Brien guided the team to the playoffs four times. He also served two different stints as the offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots and was the Penn State head coach for two years.
“I think Donovan has a chance to have an excellent career because he is very versatile,” O’Brien said in a phone interview. “He did a lot of different things for us, playing a four-down defensive end, he played a 3-4 SAM linebacker.”
And Ezeiruaku was more than just a defensive player.
“He was a core special teams players for us,” O’Brien said. “He was the personal protector on the punt team, he covered kicks, was on kickoff cover, punt return, punt block and he did a lot of different things for us.”
That’s a lot of versatility.
"So, I think the versatility leads me to believe that this is a guy that will play a long time in the league because he can do so many different things,” O’Brien said.
Yet with all the versatility, it’s his pass rushing ability that will be his calling card.
“He’s got really good quickness, he’s explosive, he’s got great arm length, he’s got great flexibility, so he can dip, he can bend the end, he can get underneath big tackles,” O’Brien said. “He is a very instinctive player and is an excellent pass rusher.”
Ezeiruaku, who has earned a business degree from Boston College, has impressed NFL teams with his character, according to O’Brien.
“He is somebody when you bring him in your organization, he is going to be awesome in the community,” O’Brien said. “That is what he was here, he was a great ambassador for Boston College football. He is one of those guys who will embrace the community he is in and be a great locker room guy at the same time.”
As a junior at Williamstown in 2019, Ezeiruaku was a major contributor to a 12-1 team that captured the South Jersey Group 5 championship.
One person who is not the least bit surprised at Ezeiruaku’s success is Frank Fucetola, who was his head coach at Williamstown in 2019, resigned after that season, but returned in 2024 to coach the Braves.
“Give him all the credit in the world,” Fucetola said. “He got better and better and kept working hard and he had quite a career at Boston College. He had a vision the whole time there.”
And that vision will be rewarded on draft night, very possibly on the first night.
“It’s going to be very emotional for our family,” his mother said. “This is huge.”
Here is a look at some other key South Jersey players who are expected to hear their name during the three-day draft or be a potential priority free agent. There could be others, but this is our best projection.
LeQuint Allen, Millville, Syracuse running back. As a junior this past season Allen rushed for 1,021 yards (4.5 avg.) and 16 touchdowns and earned honorable mention All-ACC honors. In his three years at Syracuse, Allen rushed for 3,359 yards (6.5 avg.) and 26 TDs. He also had 199 receptions for 848 yards and six scores.
Jihaad Campbell, Timber Creek, Alabama linebacker. Campbell played his first three seasons at Timber Creek before spending his senior year at Florida’s IMG Academy. He is considered a potential first-round draft choice after a spectacular junior season at Alabama in which he had a team-high 117 tackles, including 11 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. Campbell also had one interception and two pass breakups and was a first-team All-SEC selection. What type of impact player was Campbell? Let a true expert explain.
“Jihaad is one of the most versatile and dynamic linebackers that I’ve ever coached,” Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer wrote in an email response to the Courier-Post. “He can play inside and outside and possesses elite athleticism. He was also a true leader on our defense and our team this year. He provides a great example to his teammates of how to conduct yourself on and off the field. He held guys accountable and did everything the right way. I truly believe he would be an asset to any NFL team.”
Alijah Clark, Camden, Syracuse safety. Clark, who began his career at Rutgers, played three seasons for Syracuse. In 2024 he was third on the team with 61 tackles, while also contributing four pass breakups and one interception. He was clocked at 4.5 seconds for the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine.
Fadil Diggs, Camden Eastside (formerly Woodrow Wilson), Syracuse DL. A transfer from Texas A&M, where he had started 20 games, Diggs had a big season in his lone year at Syracuse. He led recorded 45 tackles and led the team in both tackles for loss (14.0) and sacks (7.0). Diggs was an honorable mention All-ACC selection. At 6-foot-4 and 257 pounds, Diggs ran a blistering (for his size) 4.57 40-yard dash at the NFL combine.
Cam Horsley, Cinnaminson, Boston College DT. A 6-foot-3, 312-pound defensive tackle, Horsley played in 59 career games (47 starts) with 164 tackles and 18 TFLs. He was a third-team All-ACC selection last fall for the Golden Eagles.
Kyle McCord, Mount Laurel resident, St. Joseph’s Prep (Pa.), Syracuse quarterback. After starting his junior year at Ohio State, McCord transferred to Syracuse for the 2024 season. He completed 66.5 percent of his passes for 4,779 yards, 32 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. McCord set the ACC single-season record for passing yards and led the nation in that category among FBS players. He finished 10th in the Heisman Trophy voting. McCord was a second-team All-ACC choice.
Tyreem Powell, Vineland, Rutgers linebacker. Powell played in 43 career games for Rutgers, with 32 starts. As a senior he was fourth on the team with 57 tackles, which included 3.5 tackles for loss. He was an honorable mention All-Big 10 choice by the media.
Bhayshul Tuten, Paulsboro, Virginia Tech running back. After his sophomore season at North Carolina A&T, where he rushed for 1,363 yards and 13 touchdowns,
Tuten transferred to Virginia Tech, where he played his final two seasons. This past season he rushed for 1,159 yards (6.3 avg.) and 15 touchdowns while earning second team all-ACC honors. At the NFL Combine, he ran the fastest 40-yard dash among running backs, 4.32 seconds.