FRISCO, Texas – At long last the Cowboys have signed their second-round pick, Boston College defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku, to his four-year, $10.1 million rookie contract.
Ezeiruaku was the ninth and final Cowboys draftee to sign his rookie deal, after a holdup with 29 other second-round picks in the 2025 NFL Draft caused there to be a delay.
The cause of the delay was a historic one, as for the first time in NFL history, a second round pick signed a fully-guaranteed rookie contract as the Houston Texans gave the 33rd overall pick, Iowa State WR Jayden Higgins, that term in his deal.
And Higgins wasn't the only one, as the Browns agreed to the same fully-guaranteed terms with their 34th overall pick, UCLA LB Carson Schwessinger. Naturally, the 30 other second-round picks would want the same fully-guaranteed money in their deal, but most teams aren't wanting to add that clause, causing the holdup across the board.
On Wednesday, 49ers second round pick Alfred Collins was the third second-rounder to sign his deal, which was not fully guaranteed, and ultimately led to the beginning of the rest of the second round picks inking their deals. In Ezeiruaku's case, he'll reportedly get the first three years of his money guaranteed, plus 38% of his fourth year money guaranteed bringing the grand total to around 85% of his deal guaranteed.
From the jump, Ezeiruaku wasn't concerned whatsoever about his contract situation and solely wanted to focus on playing football and leaving the outside factors up to his representation.
"There's nothing I'm worried about," Ezeiruaku said earlier in June. "I'm just so grateful to be a Dallas Cowboy."
Fortunately for the Cowboys, Ezeiruaku was still a full participant in the team's rookie minicamp, OTAs, and mandatory minicamp despite not having a deal inked, compared to other rookies across the league that have elected to not participate in any on-field activity until a contract is signed.
Now, the ink is dry and Ezeiruaku can set his full focus, although it was already there, on finding ways to produce for the Cowboys in his first year by being a full participant in training camp, which starts next week in Oxnard, California.
