Donovan Ezeiruaku undergoes hip surgery, possibly out until training camp

The Dallas Cowboys will be without one of their key defenders for quite some time. Donovan Ezeiruaku had surgery on his hip labrum. This will prevent him from fully participating in OTAs and likely minicamp, but he’s expected to be ready for training camp in July.

Ezeiruaku is entering his second season with the Cowboys after being selected in the second round in 2025. As a rookie, Ezeiruaku played as an edge rusher under former defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus. He played in all 17 games with nine starts and logged 40 tackles (nine tackles for loss), two sacks, and 12 quarterback hits. Ezeiruaku’s 604 snaps were good for 55% of the Cowboys defensive snaps, and he also registered 85 snaps on special teams.

Under new defensive coordinator Christian Parker, the Cowboys will adjust to more of a 3-4 front. This means that Ezeiruaku will switch to an outside linebacker along with Marist Liufau. He will be responsible for setting the edge, disrupting the quarterback, and occasionally dropping back into coverage.