Breaking news: Aaron Donald is the best defensive tackle in football. But, of course, you already knew that. Everyone does. Even his fellow players know it, as do coaches, executives and scouts around the NFL.
Every year, ESPN polls players, coaches, execs and scouts across the NFL and has them vote on the best players at each position. Unsurprisingly, Donald was unanimously voted the best defensive tackle again this year, receiving every single first-place vote. And ESPN polled more than 50 people for this exercise, so it’s not like this was a small group of voters.
Here’s what Jeremy Fowler wrote about Donald’s top ranking.
Zero quotes or argument needed here. Donald got every single first-place vote.
He’s a four-time Defensive Player of the Year with 98 sacks in eight seasons. His 26.7% pass rush win rate was nearly seven points higher than that of any other defensive tackle in 2021. And the Rams just gave him $40 million in additional contract money just for being him.
“I just try to appreciate his greatness,” an NFC scout said. “But I don’t have to play him as a guard.”
Donald will go down as one of the best defensive players in NFL history, regardless of position. He’s already a lock for the Hall of Fame and will get in when first eligible, potentially unanimously. And when it comes to the all-time great defensive tackles, none have accomplished what he has in just eight seasons: three Defensive Player of the Year awards, Defensive Rookie of the Year, seven first-team All-Pro selections and eight Pro Bowl nods.
Yeah, he deserves to be voted the best defensive tackle currently in the NFL, and there’s no debate about it.
