Adding Xs and Os is interesting, but non-essential to the discussion.

 

Donald is a disruptive force period. He is fit and active throughout an entire game. And....big pause...he is an intimidating force.

 

If you watch this video (below) closely, it's indicative of the fact that he is capable of giving the opposing offensive lineman fits on any given down. The FSU guard tries to maintain his composure, but the vibe you get is he's getting whipped by Donald and he is hot and bothered by his inability to bully Donald around.

 

http://youtu.be/mI1y-Z9AvYk

 

You like defensive linemen to provide the toughness and stout attitude. Donald is a lunch-pail player that puts every ounce of power and strength he can muster into his effort. You see total preparation and a dominant mentality. His size works for him as he is able to get under and up against blocks. He is almost impossible to cork-screw because of his relative quickness.

 

What you also see is size-limited ability. Short arms prevent him from making several tackles. He gets smothered by additional blocking. He gets into hand battles. 

 

At 288 Lbs. he appears to be at peak of his potential. The greatest asset a lineman can have is girth. Girth is good. Girth is the first thing great coaches look for in a potential pro offensive or defensive line prospect. With Aaron Donald, further development may hurt his game. Additional weight will take its' toll on his quickness. Bigger, better offensive linemen inhabit NFL rosters and he'll lose a lot of his freshness. It's highly likely that he'll taper off considerably or lag behind.

 

Apparently, the art of coaching is insignificant in the minds of some. We don't know enough about Geno Atkins to tell if he will be a good comparison. Marvin Lewis produces a defense that is among the best in developing his scheme to fit his talent. It's easy and simplistic to point at one of his players as efficient; a model talent for comparison. Lewis is sly, extremely creative and has a real knack for cat and mouse kind of inside game.

 

Placing a value on Donald for this draft is going to be very interesting. His limitations are obvious. The kind of limitations Aaron has will delegate his draft value, not a comparison to Geno Atkins, who needs to show sustained talent a couple more seasons.

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