Jets rookie pass rusher Will McDonald IV ready to put O-linemen in spin cycle
Jets rookie Will McDonald IV at training camp in Florham Park, New Jersey on Monday, July 31, 2023. Credit: Patrick E. McCarthy
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Will McDonald IV can’t wait to use his quick spin move on an offensive tackle, get by him and bring down a quarterback. The Jets’ rookie defensive end will get his first chance in Thursday’s Hall of Fame Game against the Browns.
“Hopefully it will be the first thing that I do,” McDonald said after practice Monday. “That definitely is going to make me happy in a certain way as soon as I’m able to do that. I got to be able to execute those opportunities once I do get that.”
McDonald might not get as many opportunities when the regular season begins, though.
The Jets have plenty of talent and depth on the line. McDonald, the No. 15 overall pick out of Iowa State, will be part of the rotation, but he might not see that many snaps.
All-Pro Quinnen Williams, Carl Lawson, Al Woods, John Franklin-Myers, Jermaine Johnson, Micheal Clemons, Quinton Jefferson, Bryce Huff and McDonald are expected to be part of the defensive line rotation.
McDonald loves being a part of that group. He said they talk a lot and they’ve instilled in him a mentality of what it takes “to survive” in the NFL.
“Definitely, I’ve gotten to that point where every single down that you run you got to have the mentality that you got to kill your opponent,” McDonald said.
Usually, first-round picks come in with hype and expectations. That hasn’t been the case for McDonald for a number of reasons. Aaron Rodgers’ presence, and all the buzz surrounding him, is one of them. It’s also because the Jets are loaded up front.
Robert Saleh compared McDonald’s situation to Johnson’s as a rookie last year. The coach believes it could be a positive for McDonald.
A late first-round pick, Johnson played 27% of the defensive snaps and didn’t have the kind of impact he hoped to have. Johnson recognized the areas in which he needed to improve, studied and looks as if he will be on the field much more this season.
“Knock on wood, we got as deep a D-line group as you can have in ball,” said Saleh, the former 49ers defensive coordinator. “Aside from the quarterback, D-line I’ll argue is probably one of the hardest positions to produce within your first year. It’s always good when you can fly under the radar and have the season [Johnson] had. It was a good season. But the pressure of production that comes with being a top-10 pick or first-round pick, he didn’t have that.
“As for Will, he has a chance to go find himself, figure out who he is, learn some new techniques.”
McDonald has impressed with his speed off the line, spin move and bend. He beat left tackle Mekhi Becton a couple of times on Monday with that quickness.
“His athleticism is freakish,” Saleh said of McDonald, who used to jump over cars and post the videos on social media, a hobby he has since given up. “It’s freakish. I’m not going to put names on it. I don’t want to compare him to the people I’m thinking of. He’s got a tremendous amount of ability. He’s got to learn some things. To be able to do it on his time is always a plus.”
Saleh said the 6-3, 241-pound McDonald has to get stronger and be able to add power to his other gifts. Then he’ll become really tough to contain.
“Once he develops power and he learns how to run through the face of another tackle,” Saleh said, “that’s where it’s all going to change and come to fruition.”
McDonald learned from watching pass rushers Von Miller and the Bosa brothers, Joey and Nick, but he said he really patterned his game after Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby. McDonald picked up Crosby’s spin move, adding his own “juice” to it, and it’s been effective for him.
McDonald will continue to add more to his game and make the most of whatever opportunities he gets.
“I approach every play the same,” he said. “I really don’t need the attention or anything. I just want to come in here and I just want to go against the man in front of me and just do my job. Everything I expected is for me to make plays and do what I need to do to help the team.”
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
