'He Plays Like A Raven!' Baltimore's Justin Madubuike Career Year - Like Rams' Aaron Donald?

'He Plays Like A Raven!' Baltimore's Justin Madubuike Career Year - Like Rams' Aaron Donald?

Baltimore Ravens Justin Madubuike is having a breakout year for the Baltimore Ravens, setting the tone up front for one of the NFL's top defenses. ... so much so that he is drawing comparisons to a guy he'll see in this weekend's Ravens vs. Rams game - Aaron Donald.

"It kind of makes me feel like the hard work is working," Madubuike said of the comparisons being made to Donald as an inside pass-rusher. "That's one of those guys that everybody in the league respects his body of work.

"It's nice to be recognized with him, but I'm a long ways away. He's one of the greatest to ever play. But I'm definitely working my (butt) off. Just one day at a time."

How has Justin made this climb?

"I'd attribute it to a few things," Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald said. "One, just his overall worth ethic, and I think when you start to stack those reps over the course of time, you start to really feel the dividends going into Year Four. He just brings it every day, man. I know it sounds like coach talk or coach cliché, but that really does mean something. You can't go in and out where some days you bring it and some days you don't. It doesn't work like that."

Madubuike has recorded 10 sacks this season, a career-high, and has been one of the best defensive tackles in the league. He is the first Baltimore player to reach 10 or more sacks in a season since Terrell Suggs did it in 2017. 

Justin Madubuike has been a force to be reckoned with at defensive tackle this season.  / USA TODAY SPORTS

The 26-year-old defensive tackle has also set career-highs in solo tackles and tackles for loss with 27 and 10 respectively. His contributions have helped the Ravens put up dominant defensive numbers through 12 games this season. They are currently allowing just 15.6 points per game to opponents, the best number in the NFL. 

"You have to keep building every day, and 'Beeks' is a guy that's out here every day, and he goes 100 miles per hour every time he's out there," Macdonald said. "I definitely think very highly of Justin and the way he plays the game. He plays like a Raven."

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Baltimore and Madubuike will be back in action on Dec. 10 at 1:00 ET to take on the Los Angeles Rams at M&T Bank Stadium. ... and Donald will be a focus. But so will Madubuike, who in in the final year of his rookie contract and has a payday on the way.

"When I think about getting paid, it doesn't work for me,"  he said. "When I think about being a freaking monster and being great, all that's going to come.''