Is Aaron Donald as good as people say he is?

I mean, is he still the best nfl player and why?

 

He is because he's a Pitt guy.

 

No, not anymore. Why?



The new kid in town will be better than his brother.

 

I ask because I keep seeing online ratings grading him above any defender out there.

 

For me, Aaron Donald is the best player in the NFL currently. The fact that teams go out of their way to take him out of the game speaks volumes of his impact. For that matter, one major aspect here is being ignored.



Of the 48 winners of the Defensive Player of the Year Award since the award began in 1971, only two Defensive Tackles have won the award twice. One of them is Aaron Donald. The other?!.....








Aaron Donald is in very rare air with this. For that matter, Aaron Donald is already one of the greatest Defensive Tackles of all time. The only major remaining piece of hardware he needs is a Ring. Once he acquires that, book him as a Top 3 Defensive Tackle of all time when his career is all said and done.

 

Don't think he sees a title with the Rams aql. One note about Joe Greene, he was passionate about winning. It rubbed off on those around him. Maybe it's the different era of football but I don't see that on the Rams.

Who is the 3rd top defensive tackle in your opinion? Reggie White? As much as I don't like saying this, Randy White did more with less.

 

TJ is closing in on 20 sacks a season. He does it against double teams. Once the Steelers can get consistent pressure from the blind side, new rules babysitting the QB will be implemented.

 

Sadly so and I agree. I also do not see Aaron Donald winning a Super Bowl. Then again, Stan Kronke and Sean McVay saw to that via Jalen Ramsey.



Reggie White is a 3-4 Defensive End. He cannot qualify. In terms of my Top Five Defensive Tackles ever?!?!


1.) Alan Page.


Sacrilege I know but he remains the only Defensive Tackle ever to win NFL MVP. He revolutionized the game due to his unusual athletic abilities and unimaginable speed and power. He was the first true all out pass rushing Defensive Tackle in the League at the time; more so than even Joe Greene. He payed the way for players such as John Randle and Warren Sapp soon thereafter. For that matter, one could argue Page indirectly payed the way for 3-4 Ends such as Reggie White and J.J. Watt.


2.) Joe Greene


By far and away the most accomplished Defensive Tackle in terms of hardware and accolades sans being NFL MVP. Even without that award, he is the most reputed Defensive Tackle in NFL History. Pittsburgh's famed "Steel Curtain" was due mainly in part to Joe but he was one of four pieces of what is considered by many to be the greatest Front Four in NFL History.


3.) Merlin Olsen


A lost legend in time but still one. Merlin was "Mean Joe" long before "Mean Joe" hit the scene. The issue with Merlin Olsen is that, despite being one of five players to have been selected to the Pro Bowl 14 times, he never won much of anything during his career. That said, prior to Alan Page and Joe Greene, outside of Dick Butkus, no other player was as dominant during their prime in the 60s as Olsen was.



4.) Bob Lilly



"Mr. Cowboy" was a grand debut for the then upstart Dallas Cowboys who had begun life as an expansion team back in 1961. Bob Lilly was among the first Defensive Tackles to incorporate conditioning within his regimen among Defensive Players during his time at Dallas. Oddly enough, he began life in Dallas as a Defensive End and not a Defensive Tackle. However, his best years were at this position, so he gets a nod on the list.



5.) Aaron Donald



I stand by what I said. I understand players like John Randle, Randy White, Buck Bucannon, Dan Hampton and even Warren Sapp all are deserving of this spot. However, in my eyes, no other Defensive Tackle since the retirement of Mean Joe has looked more complete than Aaron Donald. Despite him not being a traditional Defensive Tackle by size, Aaron Donald has been by far and away the best Defensive Tackle of his generation and arguably the best Defensive Player as well. Winning that second DPOY award in the way he did catapults him to five for me.





Feel free to disagree. This is just whom I feel are the best of the best ever at the position.

 

Actually @Roonatic, thank you for the idea of a Top Five of All Time title!! Have been wanting to get to one but life finds new ways to get in the way.


Thank you again my man! Very much appreciated!

 

You've put more thought into this than me aql. Lazy me was going on what I've seen in my lifetime.
My list:
1. Joe Greene
2. Randy White
3. John Randle
4. Reggie White
5. I could put Aaron Donald here

 

You said only two tackles won the award twice but I think Alan page your #1 also accomplished that. I appreciate your list as it doesn’t hold Steelers bias lol

 

@AskQuestionsLater nevermind you’re right. Wikipedia is wrong I guess

 

Alan Page was the NFL MVP, not just Defensive Player of the Year. A freakin' defensive tackle as league MVP! Granted Franco Harris made grape juice out of their Purple People Eaters defense in Super Bowl IX.

 

Yikes!!


You are correct. Alan Page also did this. Did not realize that. That makes three. Either way, Aaron Donald is still in rare air.

 

Pre-Franco = nothing

Franco years:
10 playoff appearances in 12 years
14-5 playoff record
4 Lombardis
Thank you Franco, you made the Chief proud of his efforts.

 

Agreed!

 

Keep in mind everyone that Aaron Donald is still in his peak at 29 years old. If he can capture another DPOY Title, he will be Top 3 All Time no question. That level of dominance can translate in any era; regardless of his unusual profile being a six foot one Defensive Tackle.

 

He is, it's his quickness and strength that sets him aside from most players.

 

A lot of the best ones have a low center of gravity.

 

Donald isn't the best player in the league, I would take Mahomes anyday over Donald, QB>DT.

 

I disagree slightly.


Patrick has a challenger for the top QB Spot; Lamar Jackson. Even if it is based on Lamars 2019 performance, there still is reason that Lamar can measure up to Patrick at this current time as the NFL has never seen two QBs under the age of 25 win NFL MVP in their second season. The same cannot be said for Aaron Donald.



As far as Defensive Tackles go, Donald remains unchallenged. No Defensive Tackle can impact the game quite like Aaron Donald. For that matter, in the past two season, no other NFL Player comes close to what Aaron Donald did in terms of performance based on position. Granted and, using the same metric, 76 touchdowns against 16 INTs through two seasons is nothing to scoff at. However, 45 Tackles for Loss to go with 33 sacks?! For a position that is primarily meant for disruption?!



That should be physically impossible. 50 Touchdown seasons are impressive no doubt but a season in which a Defensive Tackle breaks the 20 mark in both TFLs and Sacks?! That has NEVER happened before. Not even the likes of Warren Sapp or John Randle could accomplish this. For that matter, the closest any Defensive Tackle came to this was back in 2000 when Warren Sapp had 16.5 sacks to go with 20 TFLs. A great set but not anything close to what Aaron has achieved.



In short?! Patrick Mahomes is on a short list of legendary figures in terms of his performance in a two year span. However, by the nature of his position, Aaron Donald is unmatched in the 100 Year History of the NFL.


There is a difference between the most important position vs the most valuable player.

 

Jackson needs to win a playoff game first, to be a challenger for the top QB spot. Donald can be neutralized, he was invisible in the SB vs the Patriots, I wouldn't pay a DT 20 million or more a year.

 

Again, by virtue of his accolades, Lamar Jackson can be seen as Patrick's main challenger. Never before in the 100+ Year History of the NFL has the League seen QBs under the age of 25 win NFL MVP in their second season. To say this will happen again in our lifetime is next to impossible.



Regarding Aaron Donald being neutralized, the fact that Donald was limited showcases just how dominant a force he is. Bill Belichick naturally takes away a teams strongest and most powerful asset. The fact that Belichick was HELL BENT on preventing Donald from doing anything further cements his status in my opinion. If anything, Donald being neutralized has a lot more to do with how Bill Belichick toyed with then Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips than any other factor.



Again, payment of a player due in part to their position is a massive misconception. Again, there is an absolute difference between the most important position vs the most valuable player. No one is saying Patrick Mahomes is not the best QB in the game right now. However, Patrick still has a challenger behind him. Aaron Donald, as it stands today, really does not have one relative to his position.



Last, J.J. Watt seems to be approaching the end of the road currently. There is not a true challenger to combat Aaron Donald on his side of the ball. There are incumbents though such as Jamal Adams, Derwin James, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Khalil Mack and Stephon Gilmore (assuming he can win it again). However, pound for pound, no other Defensive Player rivals Donald. Due to this, Aaron Donald, to me, is the best player in the NFL today as he has no direct challenger.

 

No just no. Lamar is miles behind. Mahomes can spot you 30 points & he can still beat you down. Lamar needs defensive help.

MVP winners are skewed towards the most important position. There is a difference but very rarely will the MVP play something other than QB.

 

We will have to disagree on this one.


Again, as it stands, he and Mahomes are the only two QBs to have ever won NFL MVP after their second season. In addition, both have done that under the age of 25. That will never happen again in either of our lifetimes.



As for the second point, my thoughts exactly. There in lies the misconception. Either way, Aaron Donald is currently the "One Above All" in the NFL as we speak heading into 2020.