Did Aaron Donald Really Deserve NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year Honors?

Though the St. Louis Rams, Oakland Raiders and Baltimore Ravens each endured varying degrees of disappointment in the 2014 season, the standout performances from their defensive rookies Aaron Donald, Khalil Mack and C.J. Mosley were cause for celebration for each franchise.

Donald took home the ultimate recognition for his efforts on Saturday night when he received the Associated Press NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award with 25 votes. Mosley received 18, Mack received six and San Francisco 49ers' rookie linebacker Chris Borland got a single nod. 

How did Donald's remarkable season compare to those of Mosley and Mack, and why did he deserve the honor over his peers? The answer goes beyond combined tackles or sacks:

	COMB Tackles	TOT Tackles	AST Tackles	Sacks	FF	INT
Aaron Donald	47	37	10	9	2	0
CJ Mosley	133	89	44	3	1	2
Khalil Mack	75	59	16	4	1	0

Comparing players at different positions across the stat sheet isn't overly useful. As a defensive tackle in a 4-3 scheme, Donald's primary responsibility is to be a run-stopper and occasional pass-rusher. He finished the season grading out as the No. 1 defensive tackle in the league, per Pro Football Focus. Not rookie defensive tackle, but overall at his position.

Donald led all rookies with his 48 tackles and nine sacks. He also had 17 tackles for loss.

Mosley, as an inside linebacker in Baltimore's system, was unstoppable in 2014 in his pursuit of running backs. His 133 combined tackles were the seventh-most of any defensive player in the NFL this season, and the most by a rookie.

And Mack, the 4-3 outside linebacker, earned recognition for being Pro Football Focus' top-graded 4-3 outside linebacker on the season. 

All three players excelled at their different roles, and played with the poise typically reserved for veterans. Each had room for improvement, of course; Mosley's pass coverage skills weren't as well-developed and Mack himself acknowledged that his vision and hands could stand to improve.

Donald was on another level, markedly elevating the play of the entire Rams defense, which uncharacteristically struggled at the beginning of the season. 

Through the Rams' first four games, Donald was used as a rotational player on the line. But he impressed defensive coordinator Gregg Williams so much that he earned his first start in Week 6, and his snaps jumped from an average of 27 through his first four games to 61 in his fifth, via Pro Football Focus. 

"He’s a very quick, instinctive player," Williams said, per ESPN.com's Nick Wagoner. "He feels very comfortable in what we’re doing."

The Rams defense as a whole improved right around that time as well, and it wasn't a coincidence. Through the first four games of the season, "Sack City" was deserted; St. Louis had just one sack in that period and six quarterback hits. 

Through the next four games, however, the Rams put up 13 sacks and 19 quarterback hits. Donald was responsible for two of the sacks and three of the hits. 

Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images

The first sack of his career came in Week 2 against Tampa Bay.

Eight more would follow, second only to teammate Robert Quinn's 10.5. Between Weeks 11 and 15, Donald had five consecutive games with a sack. 

Donald's success begins before he steps foot on the field. Via Wagoner:

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According to Williams, Donald is one of the first players in and last players to leave in nearly every situation. Donald regularly arrives at Rams Park up to two hours before he's supposed to so he can watch extra film, a practice he began at the University of Pittsburgh and has brought with him to the NFL. 

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Donald (724) did not play as many snaps as Mosley (1,243) or Mack (1,034). But his production, especially from playing at an interior line position not receiving some of the opportunities that linebackers do to make plays, speaks for itself. Donald helped a team that finished its season with a losing record reclaim its reputation for defensive dominance, and he improved the unit's play simply by being on the field. 

"Like I always say, hard work pays off and this paid off," Donald said on the NBC broadcast of the ceremony as he accepted his award. 

Part of a uniquely talented rookie class, Donald nonetheless stood out as not only the best defensive rookie of the year, but the best player at his position in the entire league. 

Mosley and Mack both deserved the consideration they earned, and in any other rookie class, each had a legitimate shot of taking home the award. Did they earn their votes? Absolutely. But when holding up their seasons in comparison to Donald's, in the end it wasn't close. 

Despite the rare talent demonstrated by this year's class of rookies on the defensive side of the ball, Donald did in fact deserve to win DROY honors.