Boston College football player making name for himself with the NFL Draft on the horizon
CHESTNUT HILL - A football player at Boston College is chasing his dreams and making a name for himself with the NFL Draft on the horizon.
Top defensive player in the country
"I play with a chip on my shoulder," said Donovan Ezeiruaku.
The New Jersey native has emerged as one of the top defensive players in the country, leading the nation in sacks and positioning himself to be an early-round selection in next year's NFL Draft.
Ezeiruaku started playing football when he was 7 years old.
"It was something about the sport that I just instantly fell in love with. I know I was impressive, I knew I liked to run around with the ball in my hand, I knew sports was for me but there was just something about football. I don't know what it was but I joke about it, I chose the sport my mom hated the most," said Ezeiruaku.
His path to stardom at BC is an interesting. The third of four boys, he grew up in southern New Jersey with a father from Nigeria and a mother from Philadelphia. Despite being defensive-minded from a young age, he actually wanted to play wide receiver but coaches recognized his talents elsewhere.
"We look up to the Jerry Rices, the Randy Mosses. So I kind of got a little salty when they told me, like, 'Listen. You're a defensive player,. And then you're a defensive lineman at that,'" said Ezeiruaku. "I didn't think that was for me but I was a little reluctant at first, then I bought in finally."
A strong faith
A strong faith has also played a major role in Ezeiruaku's life. He was groomed to sing in a Nigerian church and influenced by his grandfather, who was a Baptist pastor. At his first birthday, his grandfather proclaimed that he would be a football player.
"First birthday party, spoke it into existence," said Ezeiruaku.
Head Coach Bill O'Brien, in his first year as BC's football head coach, is credited with upgrading the program. He said he knows how fortunate he is to have this gifted pass rusher.
"He's got a really good explosion, he's got good arm length," said O'Brien. "He's fast, he chases plays down from behind. He's got a great future in football."
