Largely because of a high ankle sprain that caused him to miss six games, Aaron Donald had the worst year of his career in 2022. He finished with five sacks and 49 tackles, hitting the quarterback just 11 times – his lowest total ever.
That doesn’t mean he’s fallen off as one of the best defenders in the NFL, however.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler polled NFL coaches, executives, scouts and players to find out who the best defensive tackle is entering the 2023 season. The conclusion was the same as usual: Donald is the best.
Fowler wrote that while “most evaluators still consider Donald the best,” his hold on the top spot among defensive tackles is “not as strong as in previous years.” The lowest anyone ranked him was No. 3, so obviously he’s still viewed very highly in NFL circles.
“I would say a slight decline — not much, he’s still the best,” a high-ranking NFL scout said. “Some of that is a byproduct of what’s around him — neither side of the ball was as good for the Rams last year.”
Chris Jones was voted No. 2 after his All-Pro season in 2022, followed by Jeffery Simmons, Quinnen Williams and Javon Hargrave. Even at 32 years old and entering his 10th season, Donald stands above the rest of his peers at defensive tackle.
What could hurt him this season is the lack of help he has on defense, which could lead to more double- and triple-teams on the interior. Leonard Floyd, Greg Gaines and A’Shawn Robinson are all gone, leaving the Rams thin and inexperienced on the defensive front.
