For the second consecutive year, Aaron Donald is The Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

In a two-man race that wasn't much of a contest, the defensive tackle who will lead the Los Angeles Rams into the Super Bowl against New England earned 45 votes from a nationwide panel of media members who regularly cover the league. The only unanimous member of the 2018 All-Pro team, Donald easily outdistanced Chicago edge rusher Khalil Mack, also an All-Pro who received five votes in balloting announced night at NFL Honors.

Donald, the only Rams player selected for the top defensive honour, joins Lawrence Taylor and J.J. Watt as players to win the award in back-to-back seasons. Donald led the NFL with 20 1-2 sacks.

"Any time you put a body of work into it and then it pays off," Donald said, "and you're rewarded for it, it means a lot. It's a blessing."