Obi Pius Ezeh (February 2, 1988 – May 3, 2024) was an American college football player who was a linebacker for the Michigan Wolverines.

[3] In high school, he played running back on offense more regularly than linebacker on defense.

He started his redshirt sophomore season with a Big Ten Conference defensive player of the week, fifteen-tackle effort for the 2008 Michigan Wolverines football team.

Just after earning 2009 midseason Butkus Award watchlist recognition, he was removed from the starting lineup and saw limited action in the final four games.

As a youth, Ezeh was unable to play football because he was too big for the local leagues according to Grand Rapids area officials.

[12] Ezeh was recognized as a Detroit News Class B All-state honorable mention linebacker.

[15] In 2005, Ezeh entered his senior season as the focal point of his school's running game and was rated as the seventh-best football prospect in the state of Michigan, according to The Detroit News.

[20] This led them to the 2005 MHSAA state championship game at Ford Field, which they lost 17–10 to Powers Catholic High School.

[21] By the end of the season, Ezeh had compiled a school record 2,914 career rushing yards, which included 33 touchdowns.

[24] The Detroit News recognized him as their postseason number six blue chip prospect in the state,[25] and he was selected to play in the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association's annual all-star game.

[23] Sources: As expected,[23] Ezeh, who had suffered a shoulder injury,[28] redshirted his freshman year.

[3] Prior to his redshirt freshman season, he changed jersey numbers from 44 to 45 as he converted from fullback to linebacker.

[32] On the football field, redshirt freshman Ezeh entered the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season for the 2007 Michigan Wolverines football team in a three-way battle to replace NFL-bound David Harris at middle linebacker with redshirt junior John Thompson and junior college transfer Austin Panter, who had been named national junior college defensive player of the year.

[46] On November 1, his lawyer stated that on August 29 Ezeh had pleaded guilty to an operating while visibly intoxicated charge, which is a serious misdemeanor but a lesser charge than the original operating a vehicle while intoxicated, and had sought alcohol counseling prior to his sentence.

The plea resulted in a year's probation, three days in a work release program, a substantial payment covering fines, court costs and restitution.

[47][48] In the November 3 Paul Bunyan Trophy victory against Michigan State he recorded a season-high 13 tackles and two sacks.

[51] Ezeh won the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week award on September 1, 2008, for a game against the Utah Utes where he recorded 15 tackles and an interception.

[63][64] When Jonas Mouton was unavailable for the Purdue game on November 13 due to a chest injury,[65] Ezeh stepped in and recorded his first sack of the season as well as eight solo tackles.