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September 27, 2014 at 1:09 am #8572
RamBillParticipantDT Donald off to a promising start
• By Joe LyonsIt’s only three games, but it’s safe to say that Rams rookie defensive tackle Aaron Donald has made a favorable first impression.
Selected with the 13th overall pick in May, the 6-foot-1, 285-pounder from the University of Pittsburgh ranks second among the team’s defensive linemen with 16 overall tackles. He also has a sack and three tackles for loss.
“I’ve been able to make a few plays, which is good, but my focus is still working every day to try and get better,’’ Donald said following practice earlier this week. “The game at this level is faster, much faster, and the guys you’re playing against are a lot better. The offensive linemen are a lot more athletic and can move a lot better.
“The big thing for me, I think, is working to become more consistent.’’
Fellow defensive tackle Kendall Langford, in his seventh season, has been impressed by Donald.
“We knew he was a guy who’d won numerous awards in college; we knew he was a football player,’’ Langford said. “His first step, his quickness off the ball, is unbelievable, and he’s also strong. He’s just a good football player.
“And he’s stepped right in. For a lot of guys making the step from college, there’s an adjustment period. But Aaron came in and just kept it going.’’
Donald said that being accepted right away by the defensive line made him feel comfortable — and responsible.
“When I go out there, I have to show up. I want to make plays,’’ the 23-year-old said. “I’m learning a lot from the guys around me and I want those guys to know that they can count on me and trust me to go out and do my job.’’
QB WARNER SET FOR INDUCTION INTO SHRINE
Quarterback Kurt Warner will be inducted into the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame at a luncheon Oct. 13 at the Missouri Athletic Club.
Warner has been the top vote-getter of the selection committee for five consecutive years, but this is the first time a date worked out for Warner to be in St. Louis for the ceremony. He’ll be in town as part of the weekend ceremonies to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the Rams’ Super Bowl XXXIV championship team.
The two-time Super Bowl MVP will be the sixth player from the Greatest Show on Turf squads to be inducted into the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame, joining Marshall Faulk, Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt, Orlando Pace and D’Marco Farr.
Aeneas Williams, who was recently inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, is also part of this year’s local induction class.,
Super Bowl champion coach Dick Vermeil and legendary offensive line coach Jim Hanifan will be part of the “induction interview’’ of Warner, and other members of the Super Bowl XXXIV squad have been invited to attend.
The luncheon begins at 11 a.m.. Individual tickets are $150, with tables of 10 available for $1,250. Tickets can be purchased at 314-226-1190 or online at http://www.stlshof.com.
TOUGH AS THEY COME
Late in the third quarter of the Rams’ 19-17 win in Tampa Bay, tight end Cory Harkey pulled in a short pass from Austin Davis and was sent head over heels on an ugly-looking tackle by Dashon Goldson.
But after a week of limited practice, Harkey was ready to go against Dallas.
“If there’s any way possible, I’m going to be out there,’’ Harkey, 24, said after taking part in 24 snaps Sunday. “I love this game and I love being out there with the guys. I felt good, good enough for me to go out and do my job.’’
Harkey, a third-year pro out of UCLA, said he was a little concerned about the hit initially. As was coach Jeff Fisher.
“It was a pretty good whack,’’ Harkey said. “I’m just lucky it wasn’t any worse.’’
Added Fisher: “We knew Cory was a tough guy. It was a rough hit. (Goldson) is a good football player and that’s one (of the hits) you don’t like to see. I feared the worst until he got to the sideline and the docs felt structurally he was going to be OK. We were going to change some personnel groups, but Cory said, ‘No, I’m going back in.’’’
UNDRAFTED ROOKIES ENJOY CONTRIBUTING
A pair of undrafted rookie free agents enjoyed “firsts’’ last weekend against Dallas. Tight end Alex Bayer was active for the first time as a pro and running back Trey Watts saw his first plays from scrimmage.
“It was a lot of fun, getting to play more than just special teams,’’ said Watts, who saw special-teams action in the season-opener against Minnesota. “Getting a few hand-offs, a couple of first downs, it was great.’’
Watts, a former walk-on at the University of Tulsa, had five carries for 24 yards against the Cowboys. He was also credited with a tackle on special teams.
Bayer, from Bowling Green, took 12 snaps on special teams against Dallas.
“It was an awesome experience,’’ said Bayer, who led the Rams with 10 catches for 135 yards during the preseason. “The first couple of weeks, I didn’t get a chance to do a whole lot. But last week and again this week, I’ve been getting a lot more reps in practice; I feel more comfortable and confident.
“I just want to make sure I’m ready to step up and do whatever the coaches ask of me.’’
Jim Thomas of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.
September 29, 2014 at 4:53 pm #8694RamBillParticipantAaron Donald making early impact for Rams
By Nick Wagonerhttp://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/12148/aaron-donald-making-early-impact-for-rams
EARTH CITY, Mo. — While No. 2 overall pick Greg Robinson continues to wait his turn to contribute to the St. Louis Rams, their other first-round pick has jumped out to a strong start despite limited opportunities.
Defensive tackle Aaron Donald, the No. 13 overall pick in May, isn’t technically a starter three games into his rookie season but he’s making the most of the chances he’s been afforded. And a strong argument could be made that Donald’s opportunities should increase based on how he’s played.
Although Donald has played an average of just 25.3 snaps per game in the first three games, the unofficial statistics the Rams keep based on coaches’ review of the film would indicate he’s been their most productive defensive lineman. Those reviews have him down for 16 tackles, a sack and three tackles for loss.
Not that the soft-spoken Donald is satisfied with his early efforts.
“The game is faster,” Donald said. “I’m getting adjusted to it and getting a little more comfortable out there but to me, football is football. That’s all we can do is go out there and compete. It’s the same thing I have been doing since I was 5, playing the game of football. Going out there when my number is called and trying to make plays.”
For now, it seems unlikely that Donald will have his number called much more than he has throughout the first three weeks. He played 50 percent of the defensive snaps in the opener against Minnesota and has been below that in the games against Tampa Bay and Dallas.
The Rams prefer to rotate their defensive linemen as much as possible which has left Donald relegated to working in behind Kendall Langford on the interior. Most of Donald’s snaps have so far come on obvious passing downs as his quickness and pass-rush skills make him a natural fit for that role.
Against Dallas, Donald played 19 of his 27 snaps in pass-rush situations. But Donald has been productive against the run, too. For what it’s worth, Pro Football Focus has Donald graded as the Rams’ best defender in the first three weeks with a grade of 5.9 against the run. That score is second best against the run among defensive tackles in the league according to PFF.
Given the Rams’ woes in defending the run, they rank 29th in the league, it would make sense to sprinkle in a handful more snaps for Donald moving forward.
“On pass-rushing downs is usually when I’m going to be in there,” Donald said. “But you just rotate. We try to keep each other fresh. When my name is called I’m going to go in there and give it everything I’ve got. Then I come out and he goes back in. That’s the good thing. They are valuable reps and you don’t want to waste none of them so when you are out there, you better be ready to go.”
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