ss “FROM NOBODY TO NIGHTMARE! Dallas Rookie with 15% Pressure Rate Terrifies NFL QBs – The ‘Silent Monster’ Everyone Overlooked!”
Amid a dreadful start to the season that has seen the Dallas Cowboys’ defense rank near the bottom of the league in every major statistical category, finding a positive storyline has been challenging. However, within the turmoil, a promising narrative is emerging: the impactful contributions of their rookie class.
Two names stand out: second-round pick Donovan Ezeiruaku and fifth-round linebacker Shemar James. While James has proven to be a tackling machine since stepping into the starting lineup for the injured Jack Sanborn, it is Ezeiruaku who is generating significant buzz as a pass-rush specialist.
According to analytics from FTN Fantasy, Ezeiruaku has registered 16 quarterback pressures with a pressure rate of 15.7%. This impressive figure places him second among all NFL rookies, trailing only New York Giants first-rounder Abdul Carter, and far ahead of the next closest rookie, who has just eight pressures.
This performance validates the initial draft-day assessment of Ezeiruaku. Hailed as a high-value second-round steal, the former Boston College star—a Ted Hendricks Award winner and NCAA sack leader with 16.5 sacks—is demonstrating the skills that made him a collegiate standout. While he is yet to officially record his first professional sack, his consistent ability to disrupt the pocket and harass opposing quarterbacks indicates that his first sack is inevitable.
The emergence of Ezeiruaku and James provides a glimmer of hope for the future of the Cowboys’ defense. If Ezeiruaku can continue his development and convert his pressures into sacks, Dallas may have struck gold on Day 2 of the draft. And there would be no better time for him to notch that first career sack than in a Week 7 NFC East showdown against the Washington Commanders.
