Aaron Donald is a rare type of player at defensive tackle. He’s undersized at 6-foot-1 and 280 pounds, but he has the strength of a 335-pound nose tackle and the quickness of an edge rusher.
Not many players – current or former – can say that.
If you ask Penn State coach James Franklin, that’s not a good thing. He believes Donald has “hurt college football and defensive tackles.” Obviously, Donald is long removed from his college football days, coming into the NFL nine years ago, but his play has had a trickle-down effect on those currently in college, according to Franklin.
“I’m a huge Aaron Donald fan,” Franklin said, via Nittany Central. “Aaron Donald has hurt college football and defensive tackles, in my opinion, because every single one of these kids think they’re Aaron Donald. ‘Well, I’m going to lose weight, and I’m going to be more athletic.’ Well, there’s been one Aaron Donald in 50 years at his size to be as disruptive as he is and as strong and as quick and as explosive. The problem is, everyone thinks they’re the exception.
“And the reality is there’s been a lot more 300-pound defensive tackles that have had great NFL and college careers than there’s been the 275-, 285-pound D-tackles. Don’t get me wrong, if Aaron Donald wants to come to Penn State, we want him. But our guys need to understand that’s the exception, not the rule. And we gotta kind of find the happy medium between the two.”
🚨🚨#PennState Coach James Franklin said that #LARams star Aaron Donald "Has Hurt College Football" pic.twitter.com/IFf0vgOuaI
— David Malandra Jr (@DaveMReports) March 14, 2023
Franklin’s not wrong about Donald being the exception, not the rule. Few 280-pound defensive tackles can dominate the way he has throughout his career. Grady Jarrett is a similar type of player and he’s an outstanding player, but there aren’t many others like Donald and Jarrett. Most defensive tackles are over 300 pounds and bring more power than they do quickness.
Donald is the perfect combination of both and there may not be another player like him in the next 50 years. It’s why he’s a lock for the Hall of Fame already despite only playing nine years in the NFL.
