Few interior defensive linemen have had a better season than Baltimore Ravens tackle Justin Madubuike. As the Ravens march toward the No. 1 seed in the AFC, Madubuike is playing his way into a life-changing payday.

The 26-year-old just tied an NFL record with at least half a sack in 11 straight games, per Ari Meirov. He has 12 sacks on the season, more than his first three seasons combined and he also has 30 QB hits, 29 of them during this 11-game span.

Madubuike's recent form earned him the nickname ‘Baby Aaron Donald' from Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson after recording a sack and four QB hits in Baltimore's 23-7 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday night.

A third-round pick in 2020, Madubuike played sporadically as a rookie before starting 11 games in 2021. He's since started 30 of 31 games since 2022 and has been perhaps the Ravens' most consistent defensive player during that span.

The Ravens' defense as a whole has been daunting to face in 2023. Baltimore leads the NFL with 50 sacks, with Madubuike atop the leaderboard and four off the pace for the NFL lead.

Drawing comparisons to an all-time great

 

While it's certainly flattering for Jackson to liken Madubuike to Aaron Donald, it isn’t quite warranted yet. There is no denying Madubuike's ability and he's proven it with a fantastic breakout season this year. He needs to reach a few more levels before he's truly on Donald's radar though.

Madubuike is in his fourth NFL season. Through four seasons as a pro, Donald was a three-time first-team All-Pro, a four-time Pro Bowl selection and won Defensive Rookie and Player of the Year honors. That's not to mention his 39 sacks, 150 tackles and 108 QB hits.

For what it's worth, Justin Madubuike does have the upper hand on Donald this season, at least statistically. It's not so unbelievable to think some people would want the younger Madubuike over Donald at the moment, especially considering the type of season the Ravens' rising star is having.

It's nothing to take away from Justin Madubuike's talent and he and the Ravens continue to prove they're the real deal in 2023.