Former Saskatchewan Roughriders’ linebacker Derrick Moncrief spent his entire first NFL season around Los Angeles Rams superstar defensive lineman Aaron Donald.
Moncrief was behind the scenes with Donald as he dominated and earned another NFL Defensive Player of the Year award following the 2020 season, the third of his career.
“Cool, laid-back demeanour, but when he’s in between the lines, he’s a different animal. It’s something I’ve never seen before,” Moncrief said on The Rod Pedersen Show.
“He’s a great dominant player, pays attention to the details, dominates even when he’s in walkthroughs, and of course the games. His work ethic and his practice habits are at the top.”
Donald recorded 45 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 13.5 sacks, forced four fumbles, recovered one fumble and knocked down one pass on the way to earning his sixth straight first-team All-Pro selection. The six-foot-one, 280-pound disruptor led the Rams to the playoffs with a 10-6 record while being the stingiest defence in the NFL, allowing a league-low 18.5 points per game.
Moncrief was signed by the Rams during training camp and spent most of the season on the practice roster, except for his NFL debut which came in Week 8 against former Riders teammate Sam Eguavoen. The 27-year-old Moncrief was at every Rams practice with Donald and would sign him over any other player currently in the NFL if he was starting a franchise.
“Gotta have him, first pick,” Moncreif said. “He’s athletic — he can do everything.”
