Aaron Donald was considered the best defensive lineman in the NFL for the better part of a decade. After retiring a year ago, he has apparently seen enough to anoint his replacement.
LeSean McCoy said on FS1’s “The Facility” Friday that he spoke to Donald recently, who singled out Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter as the next big thing at the position. McCoy claimed that Donald had gone as far as to label Carter his “replacement.”
“I had a chance to talk to Aaron Donald yesterday, one of my best friends. You know what he said? ‘Shady, I haven’t watched football like that in a long time. That guy, Jalen Carter, my replacement is here.’”
Wow: The legendary Aaron Donald gives exceptionally high praise when talking about #Eagles DT Jalen Carter:
“My replacement is here.” 😱pic.twitter.com/i4jfpAlTPg
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) January 24, 2025
It is easy to see where Donald would come to that conclusion. Carter was instrumental in the Eagles’ NFC Divisional win over the Los Angeles Rams, putting QB Matthew Stafford under pressure on two plays down the stretch after the Rams looked to be driving for a potential game-winning score. Carter also forced a pivotal fumble early in the fourth quarter of the game.
The No. 9 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Carter has 1.05 sacks in two seasons and just made his first All-Pro team. No wonder Donald is so impressed with him.
