Leading up to this 2014 draft, questions persisted about Aaron Donald’s capability to transition into the NFL game as an undersized defensive tackle, which helped explain why he dropped to No. 13 overall.
Actually, these questions are cosmically foolish, as Donald has become the greatest defensive player in the league and possibly the best player in the NFL. View any cutup of Donald — like this one — and it’s comical how easy he destroys grown guys.
Those questions that are pre-draft did not survive but a whisper. As soon as Donald put on pads, it was obvious that he will be great.
Former teammate Chris Long, who was in St. Louis for Donald’s first two seasons, also said it had been clear from the start of training camp.
“I’d like to credit myself with being the first person to understand he will be amazing,” Long jokingly told Gus Frerotte of the”Huddle Up with Gus” podcast. “We used to joke his rookie camp he was going to be in the Hall of Fame, but I kind of was not joking.”
Long called Donald”the best soccer player in the world, in my estimation.”
Long noted it isn’t just the physical characteristics, speed, endurance, endurance, etc., which made Donald excellent, but also the mental acuity and push to be great are off the charts, as well.
“I’ve never seen anybody work so hard, that had so much ability and play so barbarous and perform with such tenacity,” he said. “This man would fight you on the field in the drop of a hat, and I respect that about himand outworks everybody.
“I’d be the last person in the film room usually at the end of camp, and I would go in there and observe tape once everyone was at home. I began moving in there and opening the door and turning the lights on to find my pencil or notebook, and he was in there every night.”
In five seasons, Donald has made five Pro Bowls, earned four first-team All-Pros and won back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year awards. He is on pace to one day and is the NFL sacks leader be fitted for a jacket that is golden.
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