Mixed Thoughts: The Jets Draft Will McDonald IV

Will McDonald IV. Photo Credit: Mary Altaffer/ Associated Press.

It took me a few days for me to write a post on the Jets draft because I was deciding on what I would give them for their final grade. To start things off, I'll give my analysis and grade on their first round pick, Will McDonald IV.

Will McDonald IV, Edge, Iowa St.

Thursday night, with the 15th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the New York Jets selected Will McDonald, IV, an edge rusher from Iowa State. Honestly, when this pick was announced, I laughed. Not because of the talent, but I saw where he was listed at 239 pounds playing on the defensive line! When my initial thoughts subsided, and I looked at his tape, (former Indianapolis Colts defensive end) Robert Mathis came to mind, who was also an undersized pass rusher, but terrorized quarterbacks for years. However, Mathis was still bigger than McDonald in comparison. 

While my philosophy is you can never have enough pass rushers, which the Jets are loaded with, my thing is they could’ve addressed another area of need with this pick such as defensive tackle. They’re not lacking in that area talent wise, but they are thin, so to speak, at that position. They could’ve taken a linebacker—I’m hoping they re-sign Kwon Alexander, since they didn’t take one early.

Will McDonald (9). Photo Credit: Ben Queen/ USA Today Sports.

Overall, I have mixed thoughts about this pick. From what I saw, as I alluded to earlier, McDonald reminds me of Robert Mathis with Dwight Freeney’s—Mathis’ former pass rushing partner—spin move. So, there’s a lot to like about him, he was the co-Defensive Lineman of the Year in 2021, and he made the First-Team All-Big 12 three years in a row, but if they’re going to play him on the defensive line, he’s going to have to bulk up a little—around 245-250, at least—but bulk up without losing his speed and athleticism. This pick is getting this grade not because of the talent, but because I thought they were other areas where they could've went with this pick.

Grade: C+