2023 NFL Draft Profile: EDGE Will McDonald IV

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• Iowa State EDGE Will McDonald continues to soar up draft boards. Now, if you would’ve seen him at Iowa State, his current spot should have been where he originally belong. The six-foot-four, 239-pound pass rusher rewrote all of the Cyclones record books. In 2021, the former Pewaukee High (WI) won co-Big 12 Defensive Player of The Year. In forty-eight career games, McDonald terrorized offenses to the tune of thirty-four sacks, ten forced fumbles, and forty-five tackles for loss.

Strengths

From the snap, McDonald assaults opponents with an array of pass rush moves. First, when using the rip, the prospect features an ambidextrous quality that baffles blocks. With either hand, he throws the arm like a punch, that lands under the arm of the blocker, now veering backward. Next, the player flashes an inside move where he will get skinny and slide through the smallest gap. You can even see interior linemen moves on display. For example, the push-pull, beloved by bigger players finds its way into the repertoire. Additionally, McDonald’s flexibility is can win a snap alone, but the nuanced attack will immediately earn him quality reps. Meanwhile, he closes in on the ball with consistent speed and a long stride. Lastly, the quick hands will pop the ball out. Hence, the ten forced fumbles.

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Weaknesses

McDonald’s flaws are all correctable, which should delight NFL general managers. Initially, the film shows a finisher, but it’s how those plays end that needs scrutiny. The prospect uses such a flimsy technique to stop the ballcarrier. The player prefers to grab and throw the ballcarrier to the ground. Granted, those splash moves look great on film. However, skill position players at the next level are bigger, stronger, and have better contact balance that will keep their feet and gain yardage. In effect, the throw won’t halt many. Outside of that, McDonald needs better field strength. Consequently, added power will help to shed blocks where opponents will attempt to lock in and steer the angular prospect,

Ideal Role

If you are a team that uses a 3-4 or 4-3 hybrid under defense, McDonald is your player. In order to work him into the flow, he needs to start immediately. In a 3-4, teams will pin his ears back and allow him to assail the edges, creating instant chaos and mayhem. Meanwhile, versus the run, McDonald can use that burst until he can get that strength up to functional NFL levels. He doesn’t need to be otherwordly strong, just enough to discard blockers on his way to the ball. Plus, on passing downs, the prospect can either rush from a two, three, or four-point stance, giving him the flexibility to create more favorable matchups.

Potential Fits

The Baltimore Ravens stand at a crossroads. With so much riding on the offense, it could be the defense that saves the day. If you’ve followed the Ravens, you see that they love aging pass rushers. Granted, that works over short periods, but if you want to construct a younger defense, built on speed and contract manageability, drafting a young edge rusher makes the most sense. In 202, the Ravens drafted Odafe Oweh in the first round. Since then the former Penn State rusher tallied just eight sacks. McDonald, under Baltimore’s aggressive blitz mandate, could amass that in a single season. On top of that, the inside linebackers would allay any issue with stopping the run. Will McDonald could terrorize teams in an AFC North plagued by shaky blocking.