Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald and punter Johnny Hekker are selected to Pro Bowl

In a Rams season devoid of many highlights, a few individual performances stood out.

On defense and special teams, at least.

NFL players, coaches and fans recognized that, voting defensive tackle Aaron Donald and punter Johnny Hekker to the Pro Bowl for the third time.

Middle linebacker Alec Ogletree and running back Todd Gurley were voted as fourth alternates.

Donald, 25, has been voted to the annual All-Star game in each of his three NFL seasons.

“It’s definitely a big accomplishment,” Donald said Tuesday after the selections were announced for the Jan. 29 event at Orlando, Fla. “Anytime you get rewarded for all the work you put into this game, you’re going to be happy about it. So definitely a big deal.”

The 6-foot-1, 285-pound Donald has seven sacks for a Rams team that is 4-10 going into Saturday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers at the Coliseum.

The Rams have lost nine of their last 10 games.

“Definitely been tough this year, having high expectations for this team, thinking we was going to do some big things, and a lot of things didn’t go the way we expected,” he said. “Only thing we can do is finish these last two games strong and build on what we’re going to have next year.

“It’s going to be a totally different team.”

Donald is the first Rams player to earn three consecutive Pro Bowl trips since receiver Torry Holt made it five years in a row in 2003-07, the Rams said.

Donald was selected 13th overall in the 2014 draft after playing in college at Pittsburgh.

In his first season, he amassed nine sacks and was the NFL’s defensive rookie of the year. Last season, Donald had 11 sacks. He has 56 career tackles for losses.

Throughout this season, opposing coaches have spoken about the need to be aware of Donald at all times.

Despite the attention, and schemes designed to stop him, he has thrived.

“It’s quite the sight to behold, just watching Aaron dismantle a double and triple team out there,” Hekker said. “You can tell that other teams’ offensive coordinators have to game plan for Aaron Donald, and he’s still a game wrecker. … He’s just a hard-working guy that has once-in-a-couple generations talent.”

Hekker, 26, is in the midst of a historic season.

He is averaging a league-best 46.2 net yards per punt and, with two games remaining, has tied an NFL record by putting 46 kicks inside the 20-yard-line. Hekker also recorded 78- and 75-yard punts this season.

Hekker has thrived under special-teams coordinator John Fassel, who is serving as the Rams’ interim coach in the wake of Jeff Fisher’s firing last week.

“I’m so grateful to be playing under Coach Fassel and with the rest of the special-teams group that takes so much pride in what we do,” said Hekker, who also played in the 2013 and 2014 Pro Bowls. “I really owe it to the other guys that go out there and make me look good on a consistent basis.”

Donald and Hekker have stood out for units that have mostly played at a playoff-worthy level.

That has not been enough to offset the performance of an NFL-worst offense that is on pace to finish last in the NFL for the second consecutive season.

The Rams might be able to make at least a slight inroad against a 49ers defense that ranks last in the league, giving up 424.9 yards and 31 points per game.

Rams quarterback Jared Goff practiced again Tuesday and, though he has not cleared concussion protocol, is on track to start against his hometown team.

Second-year pro Sean Mannion, not veteran Case Keenum, is expected to serve as Goff’s backup. Mannion has not been active on game day since the season opener against the 49ers.

Fassel said he broached that possibility with Keenum a few days ago.

“Case is a true pro,” Fassel said. “He said, ‘I don’t love it, but I understand that if that happens, I get it.’ ”

Offensive coordinator Rob Boras, in his first availability to reporters since Fisher’s dismissal, said “I think we all feel that we let him down.”

Boras said Goff’s development would remain a priority in the final games.

“We’ve been trying to put him in the best position since he’s been out there and we’re going to continue to do that over the next two weeks,” he said. “Obviously, we all understand we need to protect him.

“He’s taken too many hits, some of those are himself. When he’s running down the sideline, he’s got to understand he’s go to get out of bounds. The ones in the pocket, we need to protect him better.”