Adrian Peterson is a crash out specialist.
Also, I hate when football players try to be pugilists. We're power lifters with quick twitch muscles, use it to your advantage.
Rush him, stay low, make explosive contact with your shoulder through him, hit on the rise, get your hands under his armpits, control him, then maul him. Once you got him on skates with momentum going backwards (especially if his head is leaning back), it's like dealing with a baby in your hand.
It may sound like I just wrote a bunch of instructions, but all that happens in the blink of an eye. Anyone here who's played football at a decent level will tell you most people won't be ready for that maneuver if done properly because most people keep their torso exposed at the beginning of a fight. The higher center of gravity loses on contact every time. Cubes are stronger than rectangular prisms.
It's blocking technique 101 and every position at some point has to learn some variance of this, whether it's for blocking, tackling, engaging and beating a blocker, and it applies to offense, defense, and special teams.
Use what you know, not what you think you know.