What’s Next For St. Louis Rams DT Aaron Donald?

By Curt Popejoy | Jul 28, 2015

When you make your debut into the NFL by winning defensive rookie of the year, the bar has been set. That’s the position that St. Louis Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald finds himself in as the 2015 season is set to kick off.

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Before we talk about where Donald is going, let’s talk a bit about where he’s been. He came into the league from the University of Pittsburgh, and even carried the reputation of one of the most disruptive defensive players in the nation. During his four years at Pitt, Donald amassed an impressive 29.5 sacks and a mind-boggling 66 tackles for loss. With limited talent around him, Donald faced constant double teams, but his burst and violent hands made him nearly impossible to stop.

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These traits made him an easy choice for the Rams at pick No. 13, even with three first-round picks on the defensive line already. Shoring up the middle of the defense against the run was a top priority, and if that same play can pressure the quarterback it is just bonus.

Donald’s rookie season was easily one of the best I’ve ever seen from an interior defensive lineman. Other than Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, I cannot recall a player coming into the league at that position and having the impact Donald did. And if you want to compare stats, keep in mind that comparing those rookie seasons, Suh had four more starts than Donald.

So, what is next for Donald? Well, he finished the season with four sacks in his final five games. This goes along with defensive end Chris Long returning from injury. Having Long on the field next to him on that left side will be significant. Assuming the Rams can get 16 starts out of Long, Donald, in a rotation with Michael Brockers and Nick Fairley are going to be really hard to contend with. And we haven’t even mentioned defensive end Robert Quinn.

Nevertheless, this is about Donald, so what is his best-case scenario? It’s not unreasonable to think Donald will get double-digit sacks. However, more important than that for this team, it is building on his amazing 19 tackles for loss that will help this team the most. Only three players had more tackles for loss than Donald in 2014, and they were J.J. Watt, Justin Houston and Suh. Pretty rarified air for a rookie.

In the final analysis, Donald has a chance to top 12 sacks, 25 tackles for loss, and be firmly in the conversation for defensive player of the year. And if he can do all that, this Rams defense could be something really special.

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