Rams' Aaron Donald Names Biggest Training Camp Risers on DL

With the Los Angeles Rams ready to turn the page from training camp to preseason, defensive tackle Aaron Donald singled up four fellow defensive linemen who've impressed him thus far.

Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald knows a thing or two about quality play up front - after all, he's been one of the most dominant defenders in the NFL since storming onto the scene in 2014.

Across nine years of play, Donald has made the Pro Bowl each season, earned seven first-team All-Pro honors, thrice been named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year and was a part of the Hall of Fame All-2010s team.

Now, Donald is working on adding another title to his resume - talent evaluator ... or at least that's the role he took on when asked about the Rams' young defenders who've impressed him during training camp.

“There are a lot of guys that are doing work," Donald said. "Obviously, it’s a process. Everybody’s getting good reps. Earnest Brown IV (and) Bobby Brown (have been) looking good, Kobie (Turner) is having his flashes, Cope (Marquise Copeland). All those guys are doing good and a good rotation right now and just trying to get a feel playing with each other.

"Obviously, they're doing some good things, some things we need to work on, but it's camp - It’s a process.”

There's a lot of intrigue surrounding the names Donald mentioned, in large part because the group the Rams have put around him is unproven ... but certainly armed with potential.

Bobby Brown is coming off an up-and-down 2022 in which he was suspended for six games after violating the league's performance-enhancing drug policy, but he rebounded to play in nine games and make his first career start, putting him on a positive trajectory entering his third season.

It's a similar story for Copeland, who's watched his role on the Rams' defensive line steadily climb over the past three seasons, featuring a breakout 2022 in which he played in 15 games with nine starts and recorded 31 tackles, two tackles for loss, a pair of quarterback hits and a sack, all of which being career highs.

There's also the rookie Turner, selected in the third round of April's draft - he's been off to a hot start in camp and evidently has impressed Donald. At 6-2, 288 pounds and possessing lots of quickness, Turner drew some similarities to Donald this spring in terms of physical tools and role projection ... and now appears poised to make an early impact alongside his counterpart.

And, finally, the player Donald started with - Brown IV, who spent the entirety of his rookie season in 2021 on the practice squad, watching as Los Angeles caught fire and won the Super Bowl.

Last season, Brown IV saw his first action as a professional, playing in five games with five starts and making nine tackles, one coming for loss.

Now, with the biggest opportunity in his career to date, Brown IV is impressing Donald, who seems to be expecting to play a lot of snaps with the former Northwestern standout.

“It is about the reps, obviously," Donald said. "He stepped in and got some starting time last year. So, for me to be out here with him and get to work with him, and the first team reps and getting some plays with him, he's doing good, getting better."

That's largely the goal for the Rams' defensive line with the season still over a month out - "getting better" while already setting a solid standard.

And with Donald leading the way, it feels like a safe bet that Los Angeles will only keep ascending up front ... and the 32-year-old is optimistic about where the group is at ahead of Saturday's preseason opener.

"Obviously, we are not where we want to be yet as a defense, as a defensive line, but I see progress. I see us getting better every day and that's what it's about.”

The Rams are set to host the cross-town Chargers at SoFi Stadium, with kickoff scheduled for 6 p.m. PST on Saturday night - and the vast majority of Donald's attention promises to be on the line of scrimmage, as he continues to monitor the development of the young but promising unit around him.

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You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @ByDanielFlick

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