The Jets surprised many by taking Iowa State edge-rusher Will McDonald IV with the 15th pick of the 2023 NFL Draft. But while it may have been surprising, it wasn’t considered a bad pick by any means from our friends at Touchdown Wire.
The Jets received a B+ for the pick from Touchdown Wire. Here’s what they had to say about the pick.
“I might have preferred an offensive tackle or receiver here, but McDonald is a highly underrated speed end whose true potential won’t show up on his college tape. A 6-foot-4, 240-pound speed end shouldn’t be inside the tackles in three-man fronts, but that’s where McDonald was far too often for Iowa State last season. You put him in four- and five-man fronts, and you just have to love what he can do with his bend, spin moves, and surprising power.”
New York feels you can’t have too many pass-rushers and the tools and athleticism McDonald brings to the table are very exciting. Sure, McDonald is already 24 years old, so there’s some concern about the return on investment here, especially for a player that may start out as a rotational player. But there is some upside here. McDonald is tied for the most sacks in Big 12 history with 34. The Jets hope he can bring that production to New York and justify using a top-15 pick on him.