10-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Aaron Donald may have hung up his cleats for good, but the Los Angeles Rams’ deep postseason aspirations unfortunately wait for no future Hall of Famer.
The 32-year-old’s retirement has prompted LA to look elsewhere for its defensive fulcrum. So it’s perhaps unsurprising that next week’s draft could be the exact moment the Rams find a new vintage of No. 99.
Rob Maaddi of The Associated Press theorizes that the Rams will select Jer’Zhan Newton, a defensive tackle out of the University of Illinois, with their No. 19 first round pick in the draft.
“Newton is a disruptive interior defender who brings a physical presence in the middle of the line along with outstanding ability to get to the quarterback,” Maaddi writes. “He’d help replace future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald, who retired.”
Newton, a junior, has enjoyed a decorated NCAA career with the Fighting Illini. The 6’2″, 295-pound 21-year-old was named a consensus All-American this past season, while winning the Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year, and the Smith-Brown Defensive Lineman of the Year. He was also named a two-time All-Big Ten First Teamer.
Donald was selected 10 years ago, with the No. 13 pick out of Pittsburgh. In addition to the aforementioned 10 Pro Bowl teams, he was named an eight-time First-Team All-Pro, a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, a member of the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team, and a winner of the Decaon Jones Award, as the player with the most sacks in a given season, circa 2018. He also helped lead the Rams to the Super Bowl LVI title.
