RS12
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Pittsburgh senior defensive tackle Aaron Donald could lead a squadron of gifted but size-deficient defensive tackles in the 2014 draft ready to wage war on NFL quarterbacks.
As a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Award (nation's top defender) and a semifinalist for the Bednarik Award (nation's top defender), Outland Trophy (top interior lineman), Rotary Lombardi Award (top lineman or linebacker) and Lott IMPACT Trophy (nation's top defender), Donald is far from an unknown.
Leading the nation with an average of 2.3 tackles for loss per game will do that for a guy.
Despite his gaudy production, fellow undersized defensive tackles Will Sutton (Arizona State) and even injured Florida standout Dominique Easley have generated as much or more NFL draft buzz than Donald simply because the Panthers' star measures in at 6-0, 285 pounds.
As Donald demonstrated against the Syracuse Orangemen Saturday, however, burst can be just as dominating as brawn.
Alternating between the two defensive tackle positions in Pittsburgh's traditional 4-3 scheme with 6-foot-2, 285-pound sophomore Darryl Render, Donald routinely split gaps in Syracuse's offensive line, ruining plays before they had any chance at success and helping the Panthers earn their sixth victory of the 2013 season.
Donald is as explosive out of his stance as any defensive tackle in the country. This burst is complemented by a terrific over-arm swim move that allows him to slip past would-be blockers in an instant.
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/...donald-is-college-footballs-most-explosive-dt
As a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Award (nation's top defender) and a semifinalist for the Bednarik Award (nation's top defender), Outland Trophy (top interior lineman), Rotary Lombardi Award (top lineman or linebacker) and Lott IMPACT Trophy (nation's top defender), Donald is far from an unknown.
Leading the nation with an average of 2.3 tackles for loss per game will do that for a guy.
Despite his gaudy production, fellow undersized defensive tackles Will Sutton (Arizona State) and even injured Florida standout Dominique Easley have generated as much or more NFL draft buzz than Donald simply because the Panthers' star measures in at 6-0, 285 pounds.
As Donald demonstrated against the Syracuse Orangemen Saturday, however, burst can be just as dominating as brawn.
Alternating between the two defensive tackle positions in Pittsburgh's traditional 4-3 scheme with 6-foot-2, 285-pound sophomore Darryl Render, Donald routinely split gaps in Syracuse's offensive line, ruining plays before they had any chance at success and helping the Panthers earn their sixth victory of the 2013 season.
Donald is as explosive out of his stance as any defensive tackle in the country. This burst is complemented by a terrific over-arm swim move that allows him to slip past would-be blockers in an instant.
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/...donald-is-college-footballs-most-explosive-dt
