We’re down to 72 days until the New Orleans Saints kick off their 2024 regular season, which makes the player of the day Josiah Ezirim. The current owner of the No. 72 jersey was drafted earlier this year out of Eastern Kentucky, and he’s facing an uphill battle to make the team. Let’s get to know him a little better:
- Name (Age): Josiah Ezirim (23)
- Position: Offensive tackle
- Height, weight: 6-foot-6, 329 pounds
- Relative Athletic Score: 8.50
- 2024 salary cap hit: $819,604
- College: Eastern Kentucky
- Drafted: 7th round in 2024 (New Orleans Saints)
- NFL experience: Rookie
Ezirim played on the defensive line through high school and his first couple of years in college football, until his coaches convinced him to try out at offensive tackle in 2021. He excelled in that role and started 19 games at right tackle to close out his career at Eastern Kentucky, ending his 2023 season with spots on the All-American second team and All-UAC Team.
Still, he has a lot to learn before he’ll be ready to play heavy minutes on Sundays. Ezirim is a very good athlete for his size and that allows him to recover from mistakes in his pass-set technique, but that’ll be tough to pull off against other great athletes in the NFL. He’s learned the ropes rapidly at a lower level of competition. He just needs more time and experience.
So what does a successful rookie year look like for him? Ezirim needs to prove he’s a better option to roster as the ninth or tenth offensive lineman than other guys like Kyle Hergel or Sincere Haynesworth. Just making the 53-man roster and hanging on for 18 weeks would be enough to see from him. If he beats those expectations by dressing out on Sundays or getting on the field as an extra blocker or emergency backup and holding his own, even better. Fans should just remember to keep expectations tempered for Ezirim as he adjusts to life in the NFL.
