There’s a case to be made that Aaron Donald is the best player in the NFL regardless of position. He’ll probably never win an MVP award because it’s so quarterback-driven, but Donald is as dominant as any player in the league.
He’s also become a role model among younger players at all positions, but particularly fellow defensive tackles. Pitt prospect Jaylen Twyman is similarly undersized at 6-foot-1 and 301 pounds, but he’s incredibly strong (40 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press) and athletic (32.5-inch vertical) like Donald.
Hailing from the same school, Twyman looks up to Donald. The Rams defensive tackle has become a mentor to Twyman, training with him at the University of Pittsburgh on occasion. Twyman reflected on his relationship with Donald during an appearance on “Good Morning Football” and said he switched his jersey number to 97 because of the way he looks up to Donald.
“My college coach, he was all for it because he saw the work I was putting in that offseason. My high school coach was definitely like, ‘You sure you want to do that? Everybody’s going to be demanding a lot from you.’ But Aaron Donald is like my Michael Jordan. If I played basketball, I wanted to wear 23. So I wanted to add that pressure to myself. … So I definitely wanted to wear 97.”
"The biggest thing I'm good at is knowing what's about to happen before it happens."@NFLDraft prospect, DT @JaylenTwyman, joined #GMFB!
We talk about his dominant Pro Day performance, what he will bring to an NFL team, his mentor @AaronDonald97 and more! pic.twitter.com/KWzBUlWSRO
— GMFB (@gmfb) March 31, 2021
Twyman opted out of the 2020 season to prepare for the draft, but he was dominant in 2019 at Pittsburgh. He recorded 41 tackles, 12 of which went for a loss, as well as 10.5 sacks. He’s squarely in the conversation to be a first-round pick this year and is one of the top defensive tackles available.
Working out with Donald for the last few years has helped Twyman get to where he is today, and when he reaches the NFL, he’ll put in the work just like AD does.
“AD, the way he works, how he’s the best player in the NFL and stuff, to see him come in every day and he’s working like he’s an undrafted free agent, it just gives me an insight of god willing, if I’m presented with the opportunity to be able to work like him,” Twyman said. “This was one of the guys I looked up to since I was 14 years old, so to be able to work out with him since I was a redshirt freshman when I was a nobody to work out with him now, it’s been a blessing and an honor.”
