Aaron Donald is already the best defensive lineman ever

[badnews]

And still has his best ahead of him.

It's easy to take what he does for granted.
We expect him to single-handedly takeover games and we are surprised when he doesn't. Thats not how it's supposed to work!!

He is stronger than anyone he lines up against. He is quicker than anyone he lines up against. He is more explosive, more violent, more technical, more intense... often he is just more than the two or three people trying to stop him.

Donald is so dominant they should change the word so that it's spelled "Donaldnt"

The man deserves a ring or three and it will be a shame if we don't get him any. I think we will and when we do he will have every box checked for the title of GOAT.

 

[IBruce80]

Best player in the NFL.
And has been for a few seasons.

 

[tempests]

After five games he's first in the NFL in sacks, tied for first in QB hits, T-3rd in tackles for a. loss, T-4th in forced fumbles. That he does this despite playing on the inside and being the most marked man in football is crazy enough.

Watching him ascend the all time list is just staggering to me. I long believed that Warren Sapp was the best DT I had ever seen play. Now Aaron's shadow is starting to creep up on Sapp's career statistics.

Sapp 96.5 sacks
Donald 79.5 sacks.

Games played
Sapp 198
Donald 99

That's insane to me. I never, ever believed it was possible for a interior defensive lineman to be this productive.

 

[CGI_Ram]

 

[bubbaramfan]

Sorry Badnews. Donald is not the best defensive player ever. That goes to Lawrence Taylor. Taylor affected and dominated games in a way AD never has.

 

[dang]

Sorry Badnews. Donald is not the best defensive player ever. That goes to Lawrence Taylor. Taylor affected and dominated games in a way AD never has.

LT gets the vote now but let’s circle back when Donald has completed his career. He is still in his prime and may yet have hit his peak.

 

[Ramstien]

Donald has my vote

 

[nighttrain]

Love the play of AD but there was a man called The Deacon
train

How many sacks did Deacon Jones have?
173.5 sacks

According to research by pro football historian John Turney, Jones amassed 173.5 sacks during his NFL career. That total would rank today as third most behind Bruce Smith (200) and Reggie White (198).

 

[Mister Sin]

Sorry Badnews. Donald is not the best defensive player ever. That goes to Lawrence Taylor. Taylor affected and dominated games in a way AD never has.

I disagree. Taylor was just the first of his kind, similar to the way that Donald is the first of his kind. Donald faces double and triple teams like Taylor never saw. Taylor came from the blindside before LT was the premier lineman. They changed because of him. But in pure domination....Taylor isn't on par with Donald in my opinion. No one is.

 

[Allen2McVay]

I love my wife, I love Aaron Donald. In that order but it’s closer than it should be.

Still, Reggie White is the best D-Lineman I have ever seen.

One big reason is dominant longevity ... if that is a thing. A number of great players had careers that spanned 12-14 years but most of them were dominant for maybe half their careers.

Reggie White dominated throughout his long career, and that included three dominant seasons in the USFL which featured a high-level of play.

 

[badnews]

Sorry Badnews. Donald is not the best defensive player ever. That goes to Lawrence Taylor. Taylor affected and dominated games in a way AD never has.

I disagree.
Donald affects games the same way. Just when Taylor did it, it was in a new way. I realize he was amazing, but Taylor did it from the edge.
You can only put so many helmets on the guy.
Donald gets all of the attention possible.

 

[JRobinson]

Im just so thankful that im alive to witness the best to play the game at his position. Words cant really describe what we are witnessing with AD99. Truly a "special, special" talent. Not to mention, Donald as a person (media obviously) seems to line up with his character on the field... stand out.

 

[CGI_Ram]

The thing about Donald... a lot of the best players can move across the entire d-line and be very good.

But they all lose something when they do that... But not Donald.

He scares you - truly equally - no matter where he lines up.

No matter where.

 

[Loyal]

Love the play of AD but there was a man called The Deacon
train

How many sacks did Deacon Jones have?
173.5 sacks

According to research by pro football historian John Turney, Jones amassed 173.5 sacks during his NFL career. That total would rank today as third most behind Bruce Smith (200) and Reggie White (198).

You know I loved Deacon, train. Heck, the Fearsome Foursome will never be forgotten. But what makes it different and why I think Aaron Donald is the best Dlineman ever and plays in a time which would prevent a lot of what Deacon did back then. Donald faces the things Deacon never did.

*Rules of QB engaging the QB. Hitting a QB after he released the ball didn't draw penalties or affect games in the 60's. Landing on a QB in a normal tackle within the pocket didn't result in a penalty. Donald had to change his game after all those years of doing it the old way..

*Deacon had the headslap, which disoriented the lineman he faced. It wasn't illegal in rhose days, so all is fair.

*Offensive Olinemen did what people with seasonal jobs did everywhere in the 60's. You got an extra job and needed time to get back in shape. Olinemen were physcially smaller and slower. Olinemen today are monsters and the good ones keep in shape all year and work on technique all year. They do it and it's STILL not enough to stop AD.

He is the best Dlineman ever and I make no qualifications when I say that.

 

[Loyal]

I disagree.
Donald affects games the same way. Just when Taylor did it, it was in a new way. I realize he was amazing, but Taylor did it from the edge.
You can only put so many helmets on the guy.
Donald gets all of the attention possible.

And he's doing it without the cocaine that Taylor ingested and who knows what else.

 

[CGI_Ram]

You know I loved Deacon, train. Heck, the Fearsome Foursome will never be forgotten. But what makes it different and why I think Aaron Donald is the best Dlineman ever and plays in a time which would prevent a lot of what Deacon did back then. Donald faces the things Deacon never did.

*Rules of QB engaging the QB. Hitting a QB after he released the ball didn't draw penalties or affect games in the 60's. Landing on a QB in a normal tackle within the pocket didn't result in a penalty. Donald had to change his game after all those years of doing it the old way..

*Deacon had the headslap, which disoriented the lineman he faced. It wasn't illegal in rhose days, so all is fair.

*Offensive Olinemen did what people with seasonal jobs did everywhere in the 60's. You got an extra job and needed time to get back in shape. Olinemen were physcially smaller and slower. Olinemen today are monsters and the good ones keep in shape all year and work on technique all year. They do it and it's STILL not enough to stop AD.

He is the best Dlineman ever and I make no qualifications when I say that.

SIDE TOPIC;
Yeah, parts of that reminds me how I like to look at the difference between eras...

The guys back then, were great with how things were back then. They were still equally elite among the world’s population of what was possible.

The list of what that means... is so broad; But it would require time travel to change it.

BACK ON TOPIC;
Your point is a good one. It’s always mono on mono regardless of era... Donald is a whole new level of mono.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I disagree. Taylor was just the first of his kind, similar to the way that Donald is the first of his kind. Donald faces double and triple teams like Taylor never saw. Taylor came from the blindside before LT was the premier lineman. They changed because of him. But in pure domination....Taylor isn't on par with Donald in my opinion. No one is.

Donald does it without Cocaine.

 

[badnews]

As great as Deacon was, and as deserving as he is to be remembered for his greatness and celebrated by RAMS fans as questionably the most dominant DE ever, he was playing alongside 3 other guys known as the Fearsome Foursome. Donald has yet to be consistently paired with another true difference maker up front.

Donald is the Fearsome Onesome.

 

[nighttrain]

on further review


AD da man
train

 

[BonifayRam]

LT was an OLB'er who was a predator who did his damage from the outer edges away from the melee & congestion of the LOS. Aaron Donald does his heavy duty lifting work from the very middle where humanity collide in a massive heap. I am much more impressed with AD .