The Competition for Aaron Donald

[Alexander]

Yeah Minnesota is a great fit for Donald but that's way too high. People are losing their minds over this one dimensional player.

When a player has as many tackles behind the line of scrimmage, I do not see how you can suggest they are one dimensional.

I know the scary thing is right now is that teams will just line up and run right at him.

Get the scheme right, that player is protected. In this scheme, the way it is truly supposed to be run, that 3-technique is viewed as a playmaker, not a play stopper.

He is not for most teams. In general, he's not what you would say is your hands down elite DT.

But I think we are talking scheme fit here.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

My wildcard is the Rams @ 1/13. Can you imagine a line of...

LDE- C. Long
LDT- A. Donald
RDT- Brockers
RDE- R. Quinn

Sure would bring the heat......And that is the in vogue thing right now..

I don't know. The Rams scheme depends on the DTs to cover up the LBs and allow them to run free. That means that their DTs have to sustain and absorb the hit and then hold the interior or force them back into the pocket. That's not really Donald. If you put him in that scheme, he won't last long. He can't physically hold up to that kind of pounding. I don't think he fits their scheme.

 

[AsthmaField]

When a player has as many tackles behind the line of scrimmage, I do not see how you can suggest they are one dimensional.

I know the scary thing is right now is that teams will just line up and run right at him.

Get the scheme right, that player is protected. In this scheme, the way it is truly supposed to be run, that 3-technique is viewed as a playmaker, not a play stopper.

He is not for most teams. In general, he's not what you would say is your hands down elite DT.

But I think we are talking scheme fit here.

And Bingo was his name-o.

 

[Leadbelly]

I don't know. The Rams scheme depends on the DTs to cover up the LBs and allow them to run free. That means that their DTs have to sustain and absorb the hit and then hold the interior or force them back into the pocket. That's not really Donald. If you put him in that scheme, he won't last long. He can't physically hold up to that kind of pounding. I don't think he fits their scheme.

Exactly. Donald doesn't fit their prototype. And Kendall Langford is one of the most unsung defensive players in the league. He's making $6m per year and still has two years left on the contract. Only 28 years old. They're more likely to be interested in Hageman or Nix if anyone, and probably only after trading down.

 

[Alexander]

Teams that have met with Donald so far (BAN-INCOMING-IN-3-2-1)

Aaron Donald, DT, Pittsburgh:
Bears (COM)
Bengals (COM)
Buccaneers (COM)
Cowboys (COM)
Lions (COM)
Rams (COM)
Ravens (COM)
Texans (COM)
Vikings (COM)

 

[TheFinisher]

Donald's size is still going to hurt him, and he has a lot of film out there that suggests he gets overwhelmed when lineman get into him.

Don't get me wrong, I still love the player and how he fits, probably my top target at 16, but everyone's going a little overboard with the hype train. He's not going top 10, and will more that likely be on the board when we're picking.

 

[Alexander]

Donald's size is still going to hurt him, and he has a lot of film out there that suggests he gets overwhelmed when lineman get into him.

Don't get me wrong, I still love the player and how he fits, probably my top target at 16, but everyone's going a little overboard with the hype train. He's not going top 10, and will more that likely be on the board when we're picking.

Chicago is the only team that I feel has a legitimate shot at taking him ahead of our choice. There are a few other dark horses, but that is exactly what they are.

Nobody is going to want to trade up in a loaded draft like this for Donald, even as good as he has shown.

 

[Risen Star]

When a player has as many tackles behind the line of scrimmage, I do not see how you can suggest they are one dimensional.

I know the scary thing is right now is that teams will just line up and run right at him.

Get the scheme right, that player is protected. In this scheme, the way it is truly supposed to be run, that 3-technique is viewed as a playmaker, not a play stopper.

He is not for most teams. In general, he's not what you would say is your hands down elite DT.

But I think we are talking scheme fit here.

The fact that he is not for most teams points to my one dimensional comment. He's not a versatile player. I'd like to think that sometime soon we'll abort this 4-3 nonsense and go back to a 3-4. Donald has no position in that defense. So I'd rather pass on him.

 

[Alexander]

The fact that he is not for most teams points to my one dimensional comment. He's not a versatile player. I'd like to think that sometime soon we'll abort this 4-3 nonsense and go back to a 3-4. Donald has no position in that defense. So I'd rather pass on him.

Jones has already stated he is in the 4-3 business for the immediate future. I do not think that is the best thing either, but he did say it.

 

[xwalker]

Chicago is the only team that I feel has a legitimate shot at taking him ahead of our choice. There are a few other dark horses, but that is exactly what they are.

Nobody is going to want to trade up in a loaded draft like this for Donald, even as good as he has shown.

Chicago says that they're going to use a hybrid defense, but the D-Coordinator, DL coach and LB coach have primarily been in 3-4 defenses.

 

[TheFinisher]

The fact that he is not for most teams points to my one dimensional comment. He's not a versatile player. I'd like to think that sometime soon we'll abort this 4-3 nonsense and go back to a 3-4. Donald has no position in that defense. So I'd rather pass on him.

That's why most clubs commit to one scheme and run with it. You can't pass on players because they're not versatile and may not fit a different scheme if you want to change schemes down the line. That's an terrible way to operate and you'll never achieve success that way.

Stick to the scheme and find players that fit, pretty simple.

 

[Risen Star]

That's why most clubs commit to one scheme and run with it. You can't pass on players because they're not versatile and may not fit a different scheme if you want to change schemes down the line. That's an terrible way to operate and you'll never achieve success that way.

Stick to the scheme and find players that fit, pretty simple.

I don't agree. I want versatile players to give yourself more options within whatever scheme you're running.

 

[tm1119]

That's why most clubs commit to one scheme and run with it. You can't pass on players because they're not versatile and may not fit a different scheme if you want to change schemes down the line. That's an terrible way to operate and you'll never achieve success that way.

Stick to the scheme and find players that fit, pretty simple.

Not true at all. Good teams pick talented player and make them work. And a ton of teams are also running hybrid fronts to accommodate a wider variety of talents. Taking niche players is a good way to get your defense stuck in the mud, especially since there's no evidence of it actually working yet.

With all that said, I will have no problem with Donald at 16.

 

[DuDa]

he has a lot of film out there that suggests he gets overwhelmed when lineman get into him.

What games specifically did you watch? I watched most of his games from last year and he rarely got dominated--even by double teams. If he is not making the the play then he is almost making the play or just merely nutrilized. I've only seen him get owned a few times during the games I watched. The guy plays with outstanding leverage and is very strong for his size.

 

[dbonham]

In the NFL he will have trouble with a G and C drive blocking him 5 yards down the field. In the NFL he will also be so disruptive that against single teams even the QB-center exchange will not be safe, and teams will learn not to pull the RG very quickly.

If we go with Donald a good 1 tech will become a very high priority. Someone strong enough to demand double teams will free Donald to do his thing and also keep our linebackers clean. Rushman or not, we cannot go into the season with Hayden pencilled in at starter.

 

[ferrispata]

While I would love Donald at our pick, I am not losing sleep over it. We will get a good player at that spot. The way I see it, there are a bunch of players that will be off the board by the time our pick comes around which will include 3 QBS, 3 OTs, Clowney, Watkins, Mack, Barr, Ebron and maybe Gilbert as well. That leaves only 3 other players to be had from the remaining before we pick at 16. If one of those is Donald, so be it. We can grab Pryor, Dix, Mosley, Zack Martin, Mike Evans, Dennard, or Ealy. It's all good in my eyes (at least until I see Jerry grab someone we were not expectiing in the least). Just take the BPA Jerr!

 

[Alexander]

Not true at all. Good teams pick talented player and make them work. And a ton of teams are also running hybrid fronts to accommodate a wider variety of talents. Taking niche players is a good way to get your defense stuck in the mud, especially since there's no evidence of it actually working yet.

I do not think this is always the case. It depends, sometimes you see teams like New England reinvent themselves around the talent. Then you see other teams who are rigid and stick to prototypes.

There is no right or wrong way. All in all it is about drafting the right talent and the right skillset for what you will be asking of them. It requires a detailed plan beyond just saying "not a fit".

 

[tm1119]

I do not think this is always the case. It depends, sometimes you see teams like New England reinvent themselves around the talent. Then you see other teams who are rigid and stick to prototypes.

There is no right or wrong way. All in all it is about drafting the right talent and the right skillset for what you will be asking of them. It requires a detailed plan beyond just saying "not a fit".

Yeah I get your point, but we are very new to the scheme and have an entire coaching staff in flux. I seriously doubt we are about to marry ourselves to the tampa 2 at this point. At least I hope not.

 

[Alexander]

Yeah I get your point, but we are very new to the scheme and have an entire coaching staff in flux. I seriously doubt we are about to marry ourselves to the tampa 2 at this point. At least I hope not.

Well, Jones has said Dallas is not switching back to the 3-4 any time soon. Afterall, I am sure Lacewell or someone has convinced him that the Tampa 2 is the wave of the future. I bet the Seattle championship is emboldening him even more.

 

[tm1119]

Well, Jones has said Dallas is not switching back to the 3-4 any time soon. Afterall, I am sure Lacewell or someone has convinced him that the Tampa 2 is the wave of the future. I bet the Seattle championship is emboldening him even more.

Well of course he's going to say that while the coaches he's currently paying are still here. Another 8-8 season and terrible defense could change that time real quick.

And Seattle doesn't run the Tampa 2, not even close. I'd love to run Seattle's hybrid front 7 and press man style.