There are a lot of elite pass rushers in the NFL right now – players no offensive lineman wants to be tasked with blocking. Right at the top of the list is Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald, who led the league with 20.5 sacks and 106 total pressures last season.
Being in the same division, Justin Pugh of the Arizona Cardinals knows all about blocking Donald. Needless to say, it’s not exactly a matchup he looks forward to, considering how difficult it is to stop the two-time Defensive Player of the Year.
Pugh appeared on NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football” on Monday and broke down what it’s like to block Donald. He first started by saying he surprises you with his smaller stature.
“You look at Aaron Donald and you’re not impressed – when you look at him on the field in pads because you can’t see he’s 300 pounds and has a six-pack,” Pugh clarified. “You follow him on Instagram and you’re like, ‘Oh wow, this is a whole different animal.’ But stature-wise, you don’t think anything too crazy. And then he comes off the ball and he’s as explosive as any defensive tackle, defensive lineman period. He’s a game-changer. He’s by far the best defensive lineman.”
Pugh explains how he’s been going up against Donald since they were in college. Donald went to Pitt and Pugh played for Syracuse, so they crossed paths quite a few times. They had some time apart early in their NFL careers with Pugh heading to the Giants, but he signed with the Cardinals last year.
Pugh only played seven games in 2018 – one against the Rams – but if healthy, he’ll get a few more cracks at Donald next season. Having faced Donald in the past, he’ll no longer be caught off guard by his size, either.
