| No. 87 – Miami Dolphins | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Wide Receiver |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | January 25, 2000 (age 22) Fort Worth, Texas |
| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Weight: | 220 lb (100 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Timber Creek (Fort Worth, Texas) |
| College: | Texas Tech (2018–2021) |
| NFL Draft: | 2022 / Round: 4 / Pick: 125 |
| Career history | |
| Miami Dolphins (2022–present) | |
| Roster status: | Unsigned draft pick |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| First team All-Big 12 (2020)Second team All-Big 12 (2021) | |
| Career NFL statistics as of 2022 |
Player Bio
Ezukanma (pronounced ez-zoo-comma) signed with Tech’s high-flying offense after earning MaxPreps Junior All-American status in 2017 with 20 receiving touchdowns at Timber Creek High School in Fort Worth. After he redshirted in 2018 (2-48-24.0 in two games), Ezukanma led the Red Raiders with 664 receiving yards (42 receptions, 15.8 per catch), starting six of 12 games played. The following year, he was the first Tech receiver to be named first-team All-Big 12 (led team with 46-748-16.3, six TDs) since Michael Crabtree in 2008. Ezukanma broke his arm during 2021 spring practices but returned to garner second-team all-conference accolades and lead the Red Raiders in receiving (48-706-14.7, four TDs; also 10-138-13.8, two TDs rushing). — by Chad Reuter
Overview
Productive three-year starter with desired combination of size and foot quickness. Ezukanma has enough speed to get down the field and challenge coverage while displaying an innate sense for protecting and finishing contested catches underneath. The route tree has been limited by scheme, but he’s not as polished with the routes he runs as he should be for his experience level. Size, ball skills and toughness work in his favor as a quality backup with some upside.
Strengths
- Big target and team captain.
- Led his team in receiving in all three seasons.
- Ability to widen release to avoid press punch.
- Foot quickness to snap off slants and hitches.
- Burst to pass and stack the cornerback downfield.
- Squares to throw and shifts body to protect the catch.
- High points catch with full extension and strong hands.
- Bodies up defenders during contested catches.
- Quick to grab it and go underneath.
Weaknesses
- Routes lack expected polish of a three-year starter.
- Needs to sell the drive phase of his route.
- Too upright into intermediate break points.
- Needs to play with better speed variance.
- Inconsistent route adjustments to traffic.
- Can be top-heavy rolling and drifting through route turns.
- Easy catches can turn into focus drops.
Sources Tell Us
“He was a little beat up at the end of the season and he lost his starting quarterback so that helps explain how he dropped off.” — Scout for NFC team
My Take
Erik has excellent hands and the size this team needs with the two top WR’s both being 5′-10″ tall but full of speed so to have another big body to utilize in games is always good. He replaces DeVante Parker (who was traded this off-season finally!) as that 50/50 jump ball WR along with Cedrick Wilson Jr. and Preston Williams as that tall option but I think Williams will find it hard to make the team.
I was surprised that Miami drafted a WR with just 4 picks as that was not a need IMO. It further proves why I am not a huge fan of GM Chris Grier’s draft strategy of taking the best player over the best player of need.
The Dolphin Seer 