With their second first-round pick last April, the St. Louis Rams selected Pittsburgh defensive tackle Aaron Donald, hoping they could fit him into their already talented defensive line.
Donald did not miss a game his rookie season and was named a starter in Week 5. The 6-1, 285-pound Pittsburgh native was named the NFL AP Defensive Rookie of the Year Saturday night at the NFL Honors event in Phoenix.
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“I’m thrilled to congratulate Aaron on this tremendous achievement,” Rams coach Jeff Fisher said in a statement released by the team. "From the moment he arrived in St. Louis last spring, Aaron worked extremely hard to prepare himself for a great rookie season, and he certainly delivered. His production on the field speaks for itself. As an entire organization, we’re very proud of Aaron and we celebrate with him."
Through the team's first five games, Donald was the only player with a sack. He finished the season with nine sacks, good for second on the team behind defensive end Robert Quinn's 10.5. Donald's sack total was the most for all rookies. Last year's defensive rookie of the year, New York Jets defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson, had just 3.5 sacks. Donald's total is the most by any rookie since Denver linebacker Von Miller had 11.5 in 2011.
Donald, the 13th overall pick last year, forced two fumbles on his way to earning a Pro Bowl berth. He was one of just four rookies selected for the league's all-star game. Donald had a five-week stretch from the 22-7 win over Denver on Nov. 16 to a 12-6 loss to Arizona on Dec. 11 with a sack in each game. Donald's 17 tackles for loss are the most ever by a rookie defensive lineman.