St. Louis Rams Closing Evaluations: What Grades Do the Defensive Linemen Receive?

Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Aaron Donald: While he may not have been the Rams’ most consistent player for the duration of 2014, Aaron Donald was the Rams’ best in terms of being better than other players around the league at his position.

The first-round pick underwhelmed a bit in the early part of the season, failing to get into the starting lineup for the first four games of the year. He often was utilized as the nose tackle in part of a sub-package with three down linemen and failed to create much pressure in that role. However, after being given a chance as a starter for the fifth game of the season, Donald began to break out and show why he was considered the best defensive tackle in this year’s draft.

At the end of the year, Donald had 47 tackles (which led all Rams defensive linemen), nine sacks, 11 tackles for loss, 29 quarterback hurries, six quarterback hits, and two forced fumbles. Donald, who finished tied for second in the NFL in sacks among 4-3 defensive tackles, had the most sacks in a single season by a Rams defensive tackle since 1995, when D’Marco Farr had 11.5. His nine sacks ranked only behind Farr’s, giving him the second-most single-season sacks in Rams franchise history.

The honors were plentiful for Donald, who was the first Rams rookie defender to be selected for the Pro Bowl since Isaiah Robertson in 1971. With a 34.4 rating, Donald was the top-ranked defensive tackle in the NFL by Pro Football Focus this season. And though he’ll face competition from guys like Khalil Mack and C.J. Mosley, Donald has a great shot to win the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year Award.

GRADE: A

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