Niner Noise
FanSided

Four Rising Stars in the NFC West

By Peter Felsch

SANTA CLARA, CA - NOVEMBER 20: DeForest Buckner #99 of the San Francisco 49ers reacts after he sacked Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots at Levi's Stadium on November 20, 2016 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA - NOVEMBER 20: DeForest Buckner #99 of the San Francisco 49ers reacts after he sacked Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots at Levi's Stadium on November 20, 2016 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 24: Colin Kaepernick #7 of the San Francisco 49ers runs with the ball as he is pursued by Aaron Donald #99 of the Los Angeles Rams during their game at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 24, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 24: Colin Kaepernick #7 of the San Francisco 49ers runs with the ball as he is pursued by Aaron Donald #99 of the Los Angeles Rams during their game at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 24, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

Aaron Donald, DT LA Rams

Defensive tackle Aaron Donald is widely considered the best player already on the Rams after only playing three seasons.

He was a formidable defender as soon as he stepped onto the field his rookie year and has been consistent each year. In his first three years, he leads all defensive tackles in sacks (28.0) and tackles for loss (57.0)

If Donald continues on this pace he will be primed for a massive contract extension with the team and be one of the highest paid defensive lineman in the league. According to ESPN, there have only been nine players with more sacks since 2014, and all are labeled as edge rushers.

If you aren’t familiar with this name yet you should get used to hearing a lot more about Aaron Donald for years to come. Hall of Fame is not out of the question with the talents he has across the board, and his consistent motor is eye opening.

Next: Who are the San Francisco 49ers in 2017?

Stay tuned here on Niner Noise for more authentic coverage leading up to the 2017 season for the San Francisco 49ers.