There is a lot of hype surrounding the Rams' defense entering the 2026 season, with the franchise debut of edge rusher and defending NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett and the return of legendary eight-time First-Team All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald. And it's hard to overstate just how dominant the duo could be together.
Recently, a Rams fan account on X, formerly known as Twitter, pulled two sets of PFF grades to show just what fans could expect from the duo coming together, and it will likely mean a defensive line that ends up among the highest-graded in the league – if not all-time.
The definition of dominance... pic.twitter.com/fzJFLSHcYI
— LAFB Network (@LAFBNetwork) September 4, 2026
When examining the highest PFF defensive grades since 2015 among interior defensive linemen,
Donald holds seven of the Top 10 spots – including every single one of the top six grades. And when looking at the highest defensive grades for a season among edge rushers over the past five years, Garrett holds five spots on the list – including four of the top five spots. He was also the highest-graded edge rusher each season from 2021 to 2024.
So when fans are excited about the potential dominance that could be on display when these two behemoths unite in the trenches this coming season, it's not just theoretical. The numbers prove that both are among the most dominant players at their positions in recent NFL history. Now, they'll get the chance to see what they can do when they combine on the same defensive line.
This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: PFF grades give a glance at how dominant Garrett-Donald duo could be
