Aaron Donald Named 2014 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year

February 1, 2015   ·   Mike Chiari   ·   Jump to comments

Defensive tackle Aaron Donald almost single-handedly reversed the St. Louis Rams' fortunes on defense this season, and he was rewarded for his spectacular debut by being named the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year, per the NFL.
Donald was the 13th overall selection in the 2014 NFL draft out of the University of Pittsburgh. His stock climbed steadily leading up to the draft, and he certainly proved during the 2014 campaign that he was deserving of that lofty status.
The 6'1", 285-pound tackle was statistically dominant with 47 tackles and nine sacks. That type of production is made even more impressive by the fact that he didn't become a starter until five weeks into the season.
As pointed out by ESPN.com's Nick Wagoner, Donald's insertion into the lineup totally changed the complexion of the defensive line:
The Rams were among the best teams in terms of getting to the quarterback in 2013; however, they regressed significantly to start the 2014 season. According to Wag...

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