Gregg Williams: Aaron Donald 'does things I cannot coach'

By JACK WANG / STAFF WRITER

THOUSAND OAKS – Geno Atkins. Gerald McCoy. John Randle.

Those are just three of the players Aaron Donald was compared to before and during his rookie season – a trifecta that has combined for 15 Pro Bowls. Halfway through his third season, it’s clear that the Rams’ star defensive tackle could end his career as the best of the bench.

Which is why defensive coordinator Gregg Williams never took the bait. In 2014, the media pestered him for comparisons; he declined. In 2015, he did so again. On Friday, he explained that he had done so to allow Donald – now arguably the best player in the NFL – to chart a path for himself.

“He is his own guy, and he does things I cannot coach,” Williams said. “I can help, maybe speed up a decision, but he has instincts that are rare.

“Not only does he have athletic ability and strength, height and weight and things, but he has instincts that you don’t come around very much. He’s been playing very well, especially as emphasis on offensive protections and emphasis in blocking schemes are going towards him, he’s still being able to find a way to beat it.”

Donald’s impact on the game wasn’t fully captured through the first three weeks of the season, when he went without a sack despite generating constant pressure on the pocket. That’s changed since the start of October. He broke the drought with 1.5 sacks in a road win over the Cardinals, a total he matched again through his next two outings.

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