Can We Find A Place For Aaron Donald On This Defense?

[jrry32]

I'd rather have Hageman than Donald. He'd be a liabilty in run situations.

Honestly, I think you're basing your observation on size rather than film. Hageman doesn't hold a candle to Donald right now and Donald really isn't a run liability. Despite being undersized, he has natural leverage and he knows how to use it. On top of that, he has a strong anchor and elite balance. It makes him difficult for one OL to move. When you add in his elite burst off the ball, ability to get skinny through gaps and snap count anticipation, he's a really really disruptive player in the run game.

He's the perfect guy to pair with Brockers. Brockers is the type that can take on multiple blockers, fill gaps and drive OLs back into the back-field. Donald is the type that can blow right by the man in front of him and blow the play up before the HB has a chance to realize he has the ball. Donald and Brockers would be lethal. And when you add in Quinn and Long, there'd be no stopping our DL.

Donald has the potential to be one of the game's best 4-3 UTs. He has the ability to be a Geno Atkins type player...and Atkins is the NFL's best 4-3 DT...better than Suh and McCoy. Guess why he dropped as far as he did? He was only 6'1" 290.

Anyone remember John Randle? 6'1" 287. One of the most disruptive DTs in the game's history.

He will easily be a top 15 pick imo when it's all said and done.

I don't think he will be but he's my biggest mancrush this year. I think he's a top 10 talent in this draft. If he somehow falls to the 2nd and we pass on him, we'll feel like idiots. I said the same things about Alshon Jeffery and Lavonte David a couple years ago. Donald is a force. Don't care that he's small, the film speaks for itself.

National Champs

Absolutely dominated that game. Could have had 4-5 sacks if not for Winston slipping away or getting the ball out before he got taken down and if not for FSU's OL getting hit with holding calls...for blatantly holding him.

Whenever FSU left him 1 on 1 in the passing game, he blew the play up. Imagine this kid with Quinn, Brockers and Long. You can't double him. Donald would wreak havoc. IMO, the kid is the next Geno Atkins.

I am not buying on Aaron Donald. He played lousy competition and he is small for the position. He would be a great late round pick for the DT rotation on passing downs though. First round though? Absolutely not.

He played in the ACC and he was easily the most dominant and disruptive DL in the NCAA this year. That kid should be a top 10 pick. But because of his size, he'll drop. If he were 6'4" 300, he'd be called the next Suh.

We pick 10th in the 2nd. We tied with 4 other teams so we get the first pick among them in round 2. Of course until Les trades it.:heh:

We have the 13th pick. It moves in the opposite direction, my friend. You move up 1 slot each round with the teams with the same record as you.

 

[BigRamFan]

We have the 13th pick. It moves in the opposite direction, my friend. You move up 1 slot each round with the teams with the same record as you.

Then how do we pick 13th in both the 1st and 2nd?

 

[jrry32]

Then how do we pick 13th in both the 1st and 2nd?

You're right. That's a mistake on my part. We pick 12th in the 2nd.

 

[laramsoriginal]

Mcdonald in the 1st round is laughable

And op why would you not select HaHa with the 13th pick? Rams clearly have a need at Safety so it would behoove the rams to take the best Safety in the draft

 

[RamsOfCastamere]

Honestly, I think you're basing your observation on size rather than film. Hageman doesn't hold a candle to Donald right now and Donald really isn't a run liability. Despite being undersized, he has natural leverage and he knows how to use it. On top of that, he has a strong anchor and elite balance. It makes him difficult for one OL to move. When you add in his elite burst off the ball, ability to get skinny through gaps and snap count anticipation, he's a really really disruptive player in the run game.

He's the perfect guy to pair with Brockers. Brockers is the type that can take on multiple blockers, fill gaps and drive OLs back into the back-field. Donald is the type that can blow right by the man in front of him and blow the play up before the HB has a chance to realize he has the ball. Donald and Brockers would be lethal. And when you add in Quinn and Long, there'd be no stopping our DL.

Donald has the potential to be one of the game's best 4-3 UTs. He has the ability to be a Geno Atkins type player...and Atkins is the NFL's best 4-3 DT...better than Suh and McCoy. Guess why he dropped as far as he did? He was only 6'1" 290.

Anyone remember John Randle? 6'1" 287. One of the most disruptive DTs in the game's history.



I don't think he will be but he's my biggest mancrush this year. I think he's a top 10 talent in this draft. If he somehow falls to the 2nd and we pass on him, we'll feel like idiots. I said the same things about Alshon Jeffery and Lavonte David a couple years ago. Donald is a force. Don't care that he's small, the film speaks for itself.



Absolutely dominated that game. Could have had 4-5 sacks if not for Winston slipping away or getting the ball out before he got taken down and if not for FSU's OL getting hit with holding calls...for blatantly holding him.

Whenever FSU left him 1 on 1 in the passing game, he blew the play up. Imagine this kid with Quinn, Brockers and Long. You can't double him. Donald would wreak havoc. IMO, the kid is the next Geno Atkins.



He played in the ACC and he was easily the most dominant and disruptive DL in the NCAA this year. That kid should be a top 10 pick. But because of his size, he'll drop. If he were 6'4" 300, he'd be called the next Suh.



We have the 13th pick. It moves in the opposite direction, my friend. You move up 1 slot each round with the teams with the same record as you.

OK, you won. I give up.

 

[jrry32]

OK, you won. I give up.

I'm not trying to win. I'm trying to convert more Donald believers! :wink:

 

[BigRamFan]

You're right. That's a mistake on my part. We pick 12th in the 2nd.

Thanks! Makes much more sense.

 

[Username]

Mcdonald in the 1st round is laughable

And op why would you not select HaHa with the 13th pick? Rams clearly have a need at Safety so it would behoove the rams to take the best Safety in the draft

I'm not even sure Dix is the best safety in the draft, and his value to me is lower than 13th overall. Aaron Donald will go in the 1st round.

 

[BigRamFan]

I'm not even sure Dix is the best safety in the draft, and his value to me is lower than 13th overall. Aaron Donald will go in the 1st round.

I had the same thoughts on Dix after watching him in the Bowl game. And after reading your and Jrry's posts related to Donald I'm sold. Now we NEED him.

 

[laramsoriginal]

I'm not even sure Dix is the best safety in the draft, and his value to me is lower than 13th overall. Aaron Donald will go in the 1st round.

So drafting a 6'0 285lb DT with the 13th pick is a good idea when DT is not even a team need? Rams have much bigger holes to fill at OL, CB, Safety, LB...

Im not against drafting McDonald, all im saying is taking him in the first round would be a Major reach.

HaHa might also be a slight reach at 13 but he is the best safety in the draft, make no mistake about it. Also, rams Need a safety

 

[Username]

I had the same thoughts on Dix after watching him in the Bowl game. And after reading your and Jrry's posts related to Donald I'm sold. Now we NEED him.

lol Just depends on where we're picking and who's on the board brotha! My work has been slow as shit the past 2 weeks, and I've been in full draft fever looking at all the prospects. Not much else to do while watching all these assholes in the playoffs. :meh:

 

[Username]

So drafting a 6'0 285lb DT with the 13th pick is a good idea when DT is not even a team need? Rams have much bigger holes to fill at OL, CB, Safety, LB...

Im not against drafting McDonald, all im saying is taking him in the first round would be a Major reach.

HaHa might also be a slight reach at 13 but he is the best safety in the draft, make no mistake about it. Also, rams Need a safety

I'm not saying we should draft him at 13. Again though, the Rams should not feel obligated to draft for "need" at 13. There's too many other good players in this draft. What the team "needs" is a mass of good players regardless of position. Creating a dominate line on both sides of the ball should be a priority for the Rams if they want to start competing in the West. I'm sure it is.

 

[laramsoriginal]

Last I checked the rams do not have a team full of stars so drafting best player available is not a luxury the rams can do. All i'm saying is the rams have much bigger holes to fill than DT.

 

[jrry32]

So drafting a 6'0 285lb DT with the 13th pick is a good idea when DT is not even a team need? Rams have much bigger holes to fill at OL, CB, Safety, LB...

Im not against drafting McDonald, all im saying is taking him in the first round would be a Major reach.

HaHa might also be a slight reach at 13 but he is the best safety in the draft, make no mistake about it. Also, rams Need a safety

His name is Donald. :wink:

And Donald isn't a reach on my board. Plus, I don't think Clinton-Dix is the best safety in this draft.

 

[jrry32]

Last I checked the rams do not have a team full of stars so drafting best player available is not a luxury the rams can do. All i'm saying is the rams have much bigger holes to fill than DT.

IMO, that would be a great argument for why the Rams should take the best talent available.

 

[BigRamFan]

I agree we have greater needs than DT, but I would hate to see us pass on a perennial Pro Bowler only to have him land elsewhere. If Donald can truly be the disruptive force Jrry and Username envision he would be a great pick somewhere in the middle of the 1st.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

IMO, that would be a great argument for why the Rams should take the best talent available.

Yes. The Rams should be taking the best players available at their pick....be it Corner, Safety, linebacker, Defensive Ta ckle, Wide Receiver. They are not so stacked that they can't make room and they need game changers.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

He looked average against Florida State. Virginia, Miami, UsF? Seriously that is your examples of top competition. Against FlSt. He looked like he wasn't strong enough. Plays where he penetrated were plays that drug on too long because Winston couldn't find a target.

 

[jrry32]

He looked average against Florida State. Virginia, Miami, UsF? Seriously that is your examples of top competition. Against FlSt. He looked like he wasn't strong enough. Plays where he penetrated were plays that drug on too long because Winston couldn't find a target.

He looked average in that game? Man, you have impossibly high standards for DTs if that's average.

Wasn't strong enough against FSU? He put their OG on his behind or on skates at least a few times in that game. How many times was he blown off the ball? Very rarely.

 

[Username]

He looked average against Florida State. Virginia, Miami, UsF? Seriously that is your examples of top competition. Against FlSt. He looked like he wasn't strong enough. Plays where he penetrated were plays that drug on too long because Winston couldn't find a target.