Insider notes from Jets training camp 2024: DE Will McDonald shows promise but can he make an impact?
“With the 15th pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, the New York Jets select…” Soon after that introduction, Roger Goodell announced a shocking piece of news. After not making a move to secure offensive tackle Broderick Jones, who was chosen by the Pittsburgh Steelers one pick before the Jets were called to the clock, and bypassing receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba despite a need at the position, the Jets selected pass rusher Will McDonald in what seemed to be a luxury pick at the time. Now many in the league are expecting big things from the second-year player.
After the decision was made to bypass the 2022 NFL Draft and return to Iowa State, Will McDonald entered his senior year graded by NFL scouts as one of the highest-ranked upperclassmen in the nation. Only Tyree Wilson of Texas Tech ranked higher. Yet his senior season with the Cyclones didn’t pan out, as McDonald disappointed scouts.
Expected to be a pass-rush monster, he finished the season with a paltry five sacks and 7.5 TFLs, a far cry from the prior season when his marks included 11.5 sacks and 14.5 TFLs. Even at the Senior Bowl the following January, McDonald did not dominate as most expected, yet scouts loved his underlying ability and potential.
The momentum started to shift in McDonald’s favor during predraft testing.
Revisiting Will McDonald's pre-draft metrics
After touching 36 inches in the vertical jump and 11 feet even in the broad jump at the combine, when he weighed 239 pounds, McDonald wowed the leagues 49 personal people on hand for the ISU pro day in March 2023. He timed 4.62 seconds in the 40 as well as 6.60 seconds and 4.21 seconds in the three-cone and short shuttle, respectively; all while wearing a short-sleeved hoodie.
It was at that point that McDonald had secured himself as a first-round pick, though he was expected to be chosen in the bottom of the frame. Rumors had the Buffalo Bills ready to pounce on McDonald with the 25th pick. The Chargers, who held the 22nd choice, were also considering McDonald. That was, of course, until the New York Jets shocked everyone by selecting McDonald in the middle of Round 1.
At the time, the selection did not make much sense. The Jets already had Jermaine Johnson on the roster, a player who was their third first-round pick in the 2022 draft, as well as serviceable Bryce Huff. Eight months later it seemed to make even less sense, as Johnson went on to have a terrific season that included 7.5 sacks and 11 TFLs and looked like a star in the making.
Huff had a career campaign totaling 10 sacks and 20 quarterback hits. Huff was rewarded for his efforts in free agency with a three-year, $51.1 million contract from the Philadelphia Eagles. The Jets’ response? Trading for Eagles pass rusher Haason Reddick for a conditional third-round pick in 2026. And Reddick is now on the sidelines in a contract dispute with his new team.
Which brings us back to McDonald.
The rookie played sparingly last season, but he did record three sacks and four TFLs. For those keeping stats, he converted a little more than 12% of the 99 pass-rush snaps he played into sacks, hurries or QB hits. That percentage is in line with the numbers put up by both Johnson and Huff last season.
McDonald has a lot of people in his corner this season, including Marty Lyons, the longtime radio for the New York Jets. Lyons has spoken highly of McDonald on a number of occasions and believes he has a great future with the franchise.
Jets training camp 2024: Where Will McDonald stands in the grand scheme of things
For his part, McDonald is entering training camp very motivated after spending a ton of time at the Jets facility this offseason. The early returns have been good, as McDonald looked spectacular during the Jets’ opening practice. The situation seems perfect for the pass rusher to step in, make an impact an justify the Jets making him the 15th pick in the 2023 draft.
The question is, will the Jets let him loose this season? As one well-placed league source told me, “If the Jets don’t get McDonald on the field this season and get him on the field often, they are fools.”