Unlike most rookies, it didn’t take Aaron Donald long to get acclimated to the NFL. He came in as the 13th overall pick in the 2014 draft and was absolutely dominant from Day 1. He had two tackles for loss in his NFL debut, a sack in his second game and hit the quarterback at least once in 11 of his first 16 games as a pro.
He went on to win AP Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2014 after recording nine sacks and 18 tackles for loss, wreaking havoc each and every week. To remind you just how good he was as a rookie, the NFL’s Throwback account on Twitter shared highlights from Donald’s first season.
It’s easy to see how he became as unstoppable as he is today, considering where he started from.
Rookie @AaronDonald97. (2014) pic.twitter.com/2XtXeef3bR
— NFL Throwback (@nflthrowback) April 11, 2021