Aaron Donald at DE

Manwiththeplan

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Like Will Sutton, Donald is an ideal RDT for the scheme we are trying to run.

Personally, I'm verrrrrrrry weary of players that have huge drops of production going into their final college season. 10 less tackles for loss and 1/3 of the sacks fom 2012. Add to that, he wasn't impressive in 2011 either. There may be reasons why his production dropped, but it does make me nervous.
 

KingintheNorth

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Personally, I'm verrrrrrrry weary of players that have huge drops of production going into their final college season. 10 less tackles for loss and 1/3 of the sacks fom 2012. Add to that, he wasn't impressive in 2011 either. There may be reasons why his production dropped, but it does make me nervous.

This is where talented scouts, which personally I don't believe we have, come into play. They have to determine whether the player had peaked or if the production drop comes from increased attention (scheming and double teams).
 

tm1119

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Personally, I'm verrrrrrrry weary of players that have huge drops of production going into their final college season. 10 less tackles for loss and 1/3 of the sacks fom 2012. Add to that, he wasn't impressive in 2011 either. There may be reasons why his production dropped, but it does make me nervous.

The rumors I read are that he was playing 25 pounds heavier this year and it really took away his quickness. It was either he received bad advice that adding weight would help his draft stock or he just got lazy and fat. Up to scouts and coaches to find out I guess
 

Manwiththeplan

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This is where talented scouts, which personally I don't believe we have, come into play. They have to determine whether the player had peaked or if the production drop comes from increased attention (scheming and double teams).

well as someone who isn't a talented scout, let me say this worries me. but, as tm119 said, could just be bad advice
 

AsthmaField

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Aaron Donald is a 3-tech in Kiffin's 4-3 defense every day and twice on Sunday's. He would make a world of difference on our defense with his quickness and the way he penetrates the line of scrimmage. He is as talented a college DT as I've seen in a long time and IMO, the guy would make an immediate impact as a 3-tech for Dallas.

He's so talented and quick that he probably could play DE, but that would be wasting him IMO. You can find guys to get a pass rush from the DE spot and his lack of length would get him stymied against OT's. What is damn near impossible is to get a DT that can put consistent pressure on the QB. Sapp could. Geno Atkins can. Aaron Donald will... and yes he belongs in that conversation.

As for a bigger, thicker guy at SDE... Tyrone Crawford is going to be around 290 and he is a pretty talented guy himself. He can play the strongside End fairly well I bet. Bass is another option there.

We have big bodies for the SDE position. What we don't have is a 3-tech like Sapp that can terrify the QB.

Donald is that guy. Move up if we have to, but if he is close to us we need to get him.

Just my $0.02
 

AsthmaField

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Watch this video and you will see what his impact can be (#97). This is just from 2013.

Check out his tackle (at about 1:00) of both the QB and RB on the same play, lol.
 

texbumthelife

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Watch this video and you will see what his impact can be (#97). This is just from 2013.

Check out his tackle (at about 1:00) of both the QB and RB on the same play, lol.


Goodness gracious sign me up. That is some of the best twitch athleticism I have ever seen from an interior lineman. That was damn impressive. He also has the best swim move I have ever seen in a collegiate player. This guy is going to rocket up draft boards when people start focusing on him. I don't care what his measurables are. I would almost guarantee he goes top 15.
 

AsthmaField

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Goodness gracious sign me up. That is some of the best twitch athleticism I have ever seen from an interior lineman. That was damn impressive. He also has the best swim move I have ever seen in a collegiate player. This guy is going to rocket up draft boards when people start focusing on him. I don't care what his measurables are. I would almost guarantee he goes top 15.

Yeah, I'm afraid he's going to go very, very early. We would likely have to trade up to get him.
 

JPostSam

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i was going to make a thread asking for opinions on aaron david and rashede hageman as DT options. i haven't watched much college ball lately but these guys' videos are eye-popping.
 

xwalker

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Aaron Donald is a 3-tech in Kiffin's 4-3 defense every day and twice on Sunday's. He would make a world of difference on our defense with his quickness and the way he penetrates the line of scrimmage. He is as talented a college DT as I've seen in a long time and IMO, the guy would make an immediate impact as a 3-tech for Dallas.

He's so talented and quick that he probably could play DE, but that would be wasting him IMO. You can find guys to get a pass rush from the DE spot and his lack of length would get him stymied against OT's. What is damn near impossible is to get a DT that can put consistent pressure on the QB. Sapp could. Geno Atkins can. Aaron Donald will... and yes he belongs in that conversation.

As for a bigger, thicker guy at SDE... Tyrone Crawford is going to be around 290 and he is a pretty talented guy himself. He can play the strongside End fairly well I bet. Bass is another option there.

We have big bodies for the SDE position. What we don't have is a 3-tech like Sapp that can terrify the QB.

Donald is that guy. Move up if we have to, but if he is close to us we need to get him.

Just my $0.02

My concern is that the NFL now allows much more holding by OLinemen than they allowed in the past. Smaller, quicker players are more affected by holdiing than big powerful players.

Drake Nevis was a super quick, but underpowered college DT. He just couldn't get off of blocks in the NFL on a consistent basis.
 

Corso

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Watch this video and you will see what his impact can be (#97). This is just from 2013.

Check out his tackle (at about 1:00) of both the QB and RB on the same play, lol.


My goodness!
What a monster!
What's really scary about that play was that he absolutely engulfed them and you could see neither of them stood a chance.
 

gmoney112

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Yeah, I'm afraid he's going to go very, very early. We would likely have to trade up to get him.

He'll be there outside of a freakish combine performance and arm length. He's a 4-3 3-technique only, and his size will turn teams off.
 

poost

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After watching that video, I'm on the Donald train! Go get'em Jerry!
 

IAmLegend

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Watch this video and you will see what his impact can be (#97). This is just from 2013.

Check out his tackle (at about 1:00) of both the QB and RB on the same play, lol.


One of the most impressive highlight reels I've ever seen for a college football player. At any position. Really impressive kid.
 

TheCount

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Hageman is probably the DE prospect that scares me the most. He's a looks like Tarzan, plays like Jane type of guy and he's got a fair amount of off field stuff going on as well.

Donald strikes me as having all the type of skills the coaches didn't like when they looked at Floyd last year (not that Floyd is a bad player, I still think he's gonna be pretty good). If he works out well, he'll probably leap frog a few of the guys people have questions about - like Hageman.
 

Gaede

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Is Donald the Warmack/DeCastro of this draft season?!
 

xwalker

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Watch this video and you will see what his impact can be (#97). This is just from 2013.

Check out his tackle (at about 1:00) of both the QB and RB on the same play, lol.


He looks terrific, but why are they not double-teaming him?

There is some really bad OL play in that video.
 
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