Aaron Charles Donald (born May 23, 1991) is an American football defensive tackle of the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Pittsburgh, where he was recognized as a unanimous All-American. He was drafted by the Rams in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He has been selected to four Pro Bowls, won the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and in 2017 was named the AP Defensive Player of the Year. Donald is known for his prodigious physical strength and is ranked as one of the top defensive players in the NFL.
A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Donald attended Penn Hills High School where he played for coach Andrew Slome. He was selected first team All-State Class AAAA in each of his final two seasons, and compiled 63 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, and 11 sacks as a senior. He also started at offensive guard.
Considered a three-star prospect by Rivals.com, he was rated as the 37th best defensive tackle in the nation. He committed to hometown Pittsburgh over other scholarship offers from Toledo, Akron, and Rutgers.