KC Chiefs: Five players who could challenge Patrick Mahomes for MVP
By Chris Clark
Aaron Donald
If Patrick Mahomes is the most unstoppable offensive force in the NFL, then Aaron Donald is the most unstoppable defensive force in the NFL. Unfortunately, for defenders, they always tend to get overlooked when it comes to being the MVP. It’s actually been so long since a defender has won the award that Aaron Donald wasn’t even born yet the last time it occurred.
The last defensive player to become the MVP was Lawrence Taylor in 1986; a player often regarded as the greatest defensive player ever. Three decades later, Aaron Donald seems to be the same kind of dominant player that Taylor was. There’s no doubt that Donald is universally revered today as the most disruptive force to opposing offenses.
Donald has now won back to back NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards the last two seasons. In his five years in the league, he has been named as a First-Team All-Pro four times and has been a Pro Bowler five times. The 2014 Defensive Rookie of the Year became the league leader in sacks in 2018.
What makes leading the league in sacks in 2018 so special is that he did it as a defensive tackle. Typically, sack leaders are outside linebackers or defensive ends coming off the edge and not defenders coming up the middle. For an undersized defensive tackle (6’1″, 280 pounds), Donald plays a bull in a China cabinet.
Fortunately for Rams fans, Donald is still only 28 years old and is in the prime of his career. It’s not crazy to think that he could grab his third consecutive Defensive Player of the Year award.
In doing so, he could potentially solidify his place not only as the best defender in the league but the best player in the league as well.