more PFF stuff on the Rams & the game

Donald isn’t far off from establishing himself as the best player from a 2014 draft class that also features Raiders OLB Khalil Mack and Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr.

before last year’s draft i had expressed the hope that the rams could at some point pick the flat out best player in one of these drafts. didn’t matter who it was. but you just look back on that draft and think to yourself that team just nailed that pick.

i think the rams nailed that pick.

i’d rather have donald. might just be a matter of personal preference but donald was graded out by pff as the best 4-3 defensive tackle in the entire league as a rookie. this year he could be even better.

Agamemnon wrote:

Not even close.

Agreed. Though I don’t know much about the other guy. I only follow the Rams.

My point would be this:

An elite DT is worth almost as much as an elite QB in determining the effectiveness of the unit.

And, they are considerably rarer. The league always has a dozen or so really good QBs. But it is very, very rare to get a DT with Donald’s level of dominance.

There isn’t a high enough grade to give that draft pick.

but it’s not just the position he plays although i do agree that it is an important and difficult position to fill. it’s the fact that he graded out higher than anyone else at his position. as a rookie. in the entire league… and so far he looks to have actually improved. and he seems to be the type of guy who will always be looking to improve. now a lot of guys provide that lip service but i actually believe him when he says it.

i think years from now he will emerge as the crown jewel of that draft. and that was a pretty good year.

and pretty soon donald will be in the discussion of the best players in the league – not just at his position.

i think i read somewhere that waufle takes a hands off approach with donald. i’ve never read that about anyone else on the dline. pretty much lets him do his own thing. if donald needs anything he’ll approach waufle himself. to have that much trust put on him at such a young age. just wow.

as far as his ceiling. he may have a high floor, but i think his ceiling is just as high. he can get stronger. his speed and quickness are almost unmatched. he is supposed to have been advanced for his age in terms of technique, but he can hone that technique even more. he finished last year 1st overall among defensive tackles (5th in run defense and 5th in pass rushing). his goals should be 1st in run defense and 1st in pass rushing. last year he did not have a single multi-sack game all season. his first game he had 2 sacks and was so close to having 3 sacks. i expect his sack and stuff totals to both increase this season along with pressures.

on a side note. one guy who doesn’t get mentioned a lot is michael brockers. talk about a guy with a potentially high ceiling. he’s only 24 years old. aaron donald is 24 years old… only 6 months younger than brock. maybe this will be a breakout season for michael as well.

oh yeah. one more thing. quinn is only 25 years old. a mere 1 year older than aaron donald.

things seem to be coming together at just the right time…

i think the best thing i can say about donald is i get emotional when i watch him play… haha!

seriously though. there are very few players i can say that about. the only player during those gsot days that would evoke that kind of emotion within me was marshall faulk. ok. london fletcher too. but that was it. not even isaac. and i loved isaac. since then i would say steven jackson would elicit a similar response.

but i gotta say. donald is stirring up some emotions in me. i’m hoping gurley will eventually do the same… hehe…