Aaron Donald is #3 in Sacks After First Seven Years

[Loyal]

After First Seven Years....
Demarcus Ware 99.5 sacks
Reggie White 95.0 sacks
Aaron Donald 85.5 sacks (15 games in 2020)
Derick Thomas 85.0 sacks

DW 384 solo tackles; 96 assted tackles; 127 TFL; 150 QB hits
RW No records until 1994
AD 244 solo tackles; 109 assted tackles; 129 TFL; 199 QB hits.
DT No records until 1994


The names listed with Aaron Donald are magical. White and Thomas are in the NFL HOF and DeMarcus Ware will be soon be eligible in 2022. Aside from the sack numbers, only Ware can be compared exactly to AD over the first 7 years in the NFL and so the magical names of Reggie White and Derrick Thomas are given the benefit of doubt due to their greatness. Donald is better than Ware in assisted tackles, tackles for loss, and QB hits over his first seven years. Only White and Ware have more sacks than AD over the first seven years, but wait. The other three guys are LDE or LBers and didn't work in the heart of the trenches like Aaron Donald has. AD gets double teamed by a Center/Guard or Guard/Tackle combos on almost every play. The LDE's are one-on-one with the less talented Right OT's and a TE/RB. LBers benefit from Olinemen being occupied by the Dline. Although AD is shifting around more often on the Dline, he is normally playing 3 Tech DT.

Aaron Donald needs to keep it up, but I think he is already a HOFer and is just adding to his incredible numbers. He is undoubtedly the best 3 Tech DT in the history of the game. I think if his numbers continue, he will be the best Defensive player to play the game, ever. I include Lawrence Taylor in that group.

Just for giggles, I compared the only other (besides John Randdle, maybe) is Warren Sapp with AD

Warren Sapp 64.5 sacks; 231 solo tackles; 79 aasted tackles; TFL incomplete; QB hits no records until 2006
Aaron Donald 85.5 sacks; 244 solo tackles; 109 assted tackles; 129 TFL; 199 QB hits

 

[Merlin]

He's the greatest undersized DT ever. Just from consistency in his ability to make splash plays. Better than Randle was. Better than Sapp was. Only rival he's got now is Reggie White and we'll see if he can beat him in number of years it's possible too the way AD takes care of himself.

Definitely among the best ever period. First ballot hall of fame no doubt.

 

[Merlin]

And by the way keep moving him around. He's not great on contain off the edge but his rush is real and very hard for OTs to handle.

 

[Loyal]

I've been focusing on AD since he came into the NFL...Really, before than when he insanely tackled a QB and RB simultaneously when he played for Pitt.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSlvm7kMGBg

 

[CGI_Ram]

View: https://twitter.com/pff/status/1344765536899641350?s=21

 

[Loyal]

View: https://twitter.com/pff/status/1344765536899641350?s=21

It's so fun to watch an all-time great in his prime, playing in horns...

 

[CGI_Ram]

It's so fun to watch an all-time great in his prime, playing in horns...

It is so great, it’s spoiled our eyes and minds.

He really IS one of a kind.

 

[HitStick]

Donald is becoming my favorite Ram of all time. It’s a close race between him and Faulk for me. I was gifted an autographed jersey for Christmas two years ago by one of my best friends. I framed it and hung it up at the bar. It’s the best gift I’ve ever been given.

 

[fearsomefour]

The fact he played his first several years inside exclusively really makes those numbers more impressive.
In my opinion the best interior DL of all time.
Can we please get him another great pass rusher?
Would it even lower the number of double teams he sees?

 

[jap]

The fact he played his first several years inside exclusively really makes those numbers more impressive.
In my opinion the best interior DL of all time.
Can we please get him another great pass rusher?
Would it even lower the number of double teams he sees?

We almost had that with DE Robert Quinn. However, by the time Aaron was drafted by the Horns, Robert had suffered from so-many illegal choke-holds - the vast majority of which went uncalled by the refs - he was only a shell of his former primetime self.

 

[fearsomefour]

We almost had that with DE Robert Quinn. However, by the time Aaron was drafted by the Horns, Robert had suffered from so-many illegal choke-holds - the vast majority of which went uncalled by the refs - he was only a shell of his former primetime self.

It’s true.
Just missed that window of them together at their peaks.

 

[Rams77]

The NFL has started to make defense and elite defenders go extinct. Its a damn miracle if you can hold an offense below 20 points anymore. Star players are getting held routinely and Donald up to this point in the season had not gotten one call in his favor as I recall. I don’t think any opposing OLineman have been called on holding Donald even-though it happens multiple times a game and sometimes on very crucial plays. Honestly its making the game very unenjoyable to watch-similar to how the NBA has promoted small ball and 3-pointers galore. Offensive numbers are over-inflated all across the NFL. And despite all this AD has posted historical numbers. This guy is the GOAT

 

[Ram_Rally]

I think it's time we start preparing for the inevitable. Get some premium young rushers beside him so that he can still be effective in years 11,12, etc.

 

[Loyal]

I think it's time we start preparing for the inevitable. Get some premium young rushers beside him so that he can still be effective in years 11,12, etc.

We must prepare for AD’s decline, for sure..Prolly only getting 13 sacks a game in year 11.....

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

He's the greatest undersized DT ever. Just from consistency in his ability to make splash plays. Better than Randle was. Better than Sapp was. Only rival he's got now is Reggie White and we'll see if he can beat him in number of years it's possible too the way AD takes care of himself.

Definitely among the best ever period. First ballot hall of fame no doubt.

White wasn’t a DT was he?

 

[Memento]

White wasn’t a DT was he?

As I recall, he played a bit of DE and DT. He was 6’6”, and around 300 lbs. Absolute freak of nature.

 

[Loyal]

As I recall, he played a bit of DE and DT. He was 6’6”, and around 300 lbs. Absolute freak of nature.

He was awwwight. No Aaron Donald, of course!

 

[UKram]

My dad watch the cards game with me and honestly he doesn’t know much about the game other than the “quarterbank” throws it the running back runs it the receivers catch it


Even he asked who is that guy wearing 99

 

[Merlin]

White wasn’t a DT was he?

I do think he moved around a bit but yes. Comparing him and Donald is a great reminder of what a badass the Minister was.

But I also think Donald is gonna age well. He's super fit and will handle age better IMO. So stay tuned and we'll see where the chips fall but I expect by the time he's done he'll hold every sack and pressure record for an interior DL.

 

[Mackeyser]

White wasn’t a DT was he?

He started in Philly as a DE next to Jerome Brown who had he not died was on a HoF trajectory at DT. When free agency started in the early 90s, Reggie White was the first big FA signing. GB was at the time considered a small market team with no future and all good days behind them. Reggie White’s decision changed that franchise. Anyway, as he slowed down, he moved inside more and more until at the end, he was almost exclusively a DT. He’d occasionally be inside on passing downs, but it wasn’t until later in his career that he essentially moved to DT.