The most intimidating factor for the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday will be the front four of the St. Louis Rams defense.
Playing at a fast pace with relentless pursuit on every play, St. Louis’ front four is one of the toughest to face in the NFL. At the forefront of the defense’s success is second-year defensive lineman Aaron Donald.
Wasting no time making his mark in the league as a rookie in 2014, Donald rapidly established himself as one of the quickest and most difficult to face defensive linemen in the NFL. With a lightning quick burst off the snap and aggressive pursuit to the ball carrier and quarterback, he leaves many opposing offensive linemen helplessly reaching out in their attempt to fend him off.
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His stellar rookie campaign helped him edge out Ravens linebacker C.J. Mosley for Defensive Rookie of the Year.
On Sunday, guards Kelechi Osemele and Marshal Yanda, as well as center John Urschel, will have their hands full with Donald. Beyond simply a quick release off the snap, Donald’s strength and ability to diagnose plays and react make him quite the load to handle.
Let’s take a look at what makes Donald such a dynamic defensive lineman.
Against the run, one of Donald’s best assets is his ability to push back the opposing offensive lineman while still keeping his head up in order to determine the direction of the play.
Here, Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler initially hints at a passing play, leading Donald to the inside route.
As Donald pushes through the block, he reads the delayed handoff, and uses his grade-A balance to work his way back across the line to seal off the running back before he hits the hole.
Before the running back even has time to reach the line of scrimmage, Donald has already dipped through his block and positioned himself to make the stop. Many defensive linemen simply do not have the agility or reaction skills necessary to make a play such as this.
With such a quick release off the snap, Donald can often take the wrong lane as he pushes through the line before the play develops. But what makes Donald such a dynamic defender is that he can still recover in time to make up for this fact, as seen in the play above.
While a force against the run, Donald is also consistently effective as a pass rusher.
Here, he meets the left guard head on with two pass-rush options to decide from.
Donald elects to take the wider route toward the quarterback, and after engaging with the blocker, he employs his quick hands to slip through the block.
With incredible balance and bend around the edge, Donald is able to keep a tight angle around the blocker, while also freeing himself from the left guard as he works around the edge.
Once Donald fully rounds the blocker, he is left with a free run at Cutler, and forces a rushed throw that falls incomplete.
Watching a play such as this in real time can be hard to process because Donald operates in such a swift manner that it seems almost effortless. Play after play, Donald proves why he is one of the NFL’s premier defenders.
On Sunday, the Ravens offensive line will get to experience that fact firsthand, and Osemele and Urschel figure to be the two biggest recipients. St. Louis’ front four as a whole is talented enough to succeed even if Donald has an uncharacteristically poor outing, but neutralizing the second-year pro should be the first thing on the to-do list for the Baltimore offensive line.
For Osemele and Urschel, Donald will be their toughest test of the season.
