Aaron Donald
Aaron Donald does not fit the traditional definition of a pass rusher, according to experts. For one thing, the position is typically reserved for rangy 6-foot-4 to 6-foot-6 athletes who line up on the outside rather than the inside. You know, men with incredible length and athleticism. Donald is a bowling ball of a man who is regarded as being significantly undersized for his job as an interior defensive lineman. Well… Donald demolished all of those preconceived beliefs — and then some. Some consider him to be the best defensive player to ever play the game. Donald has shown to be an outstanding disruptor of the highest kind as a ‘undersized’ defensive tackle. His hands are as legally forceful as they can be without becoming an attack. Donald’s engine never stops, and his low center of gravity allows him to force guards back into the pocket – primarily due to his tremendous power. In only 138 games as a defensive tackle (! ), the three-time Defensive Player of the Year has 103.0 sacks and 24 forced fumbles.
Aaron Donald
Julius Peppers
During his time at Carolina, Peppers was a physical specimen. Once a basketball player for the North Carolina Tar Heels, he used his 6-foot-7 frame and correspondingly remarkable wingspan to become one of the most spectacular defensive ends in league history. Peppers was almost spider-like at the point of attack, either working his way towards opposing quarterbacks or knocking away passes at the line of scrimmage. Peppers’ basketball background allowed him to have excellent footwork. Peppers took pleasure in his short-area quickness, and as a result, he was frequently able to dodge tackles before they could grasp onto him. Peppers had nine Pro Bowl appearances and 159.5 sacks during his career (in only 266 games played).
Julius Peppers