The Will McDonald Story

[Charlie Brown]

Hmmmmm very short story on McDonald’s life and why we probably drafted a winner..

Hmmmmm hope this wasn’t posted already let me know if is was…

[jtomm]

Thank you for posting.  Truly  GREAT  story.   He's a  " KEEPER "  ?

[Bowles Movement]

You can see that Joe Douglas values work ethic and character, particularly in his high draft picks.   

[The Crusher]

Delicious 

[Warfish]

Best of luck to him as he starts his pro career.  I truly hope his play on the field is all it's cracked up to be.

[jtomm]

---  1. Sack artist: A lot of people were surprised when the Jets, with the 15th overall pick in the NFL draft, selected Iowa State edge rusher Will McDonald IV -- widely projected as a late first/early second-rounder. Jim Nagy, executive director of the Senior Bowl, wasn't among them.

"No, because I thought he was the most athletic pass-rusher in the draft -- and that includes Will Anderson," Nagy said in a phone interview, referring to the former Alabama star who went third overall to the Houston Texans.Nagy qualified that with, "I'm not saying he's the same player as Will Anderson," but the former longtime NFL scout said the combination of McDonald's physical traits and college production made him "a top-half of the first-round talent."

The 6-foot-4 McDonald, who checked in at 241 pounds at the Senior Bowl, played outside linebacker all week in Mobile, Alabama, and exceled in pass-rushing drills, according to Nagy. He certainly impressed the Jets, who plan to make him a defensive end in their 4-3 front. It's the second year in a row they fell in love with an edge rusher at the Senior Bowl. In 2022, it was Florida State's Jermaine Johnson, whom they picked 26th overall. (Prior to Johnson, general manager Joe Douglas chose underclassmen with his first five first-round picks.)

"He's a handful because he can give you a lot of different stuff," Nagy said of McDonald, 23, a five-year player at Iowa State. "Great first step, super explosive, a 6-foot-9 high jumper out of high school -- and you can see that when he comes off the rock. ... He can beat you with speed and he can beat you with counters. He's one of those limber, wiry athletes. He's just a really accomplished pass-rusher."

The Jets looked past his pedestrian 40-yard dash time (a reported 4.69 at his pro day) and focused on game film. McDonald became the Big 12's all-time sack leader with 34, breaking Von Miller's record, but his production dropped off last season. After recording 10.5 and 11.5 sacks in the 2020 and 2021 seasons, respectively, he sank to five in 2022. His pressure rates as an edge rusher fell precipitously.

In 2021, McDonald rushed 241 times from defensive end and outside linebacker, recording 38 pressures (16%) and 11.5 sacks, per ESPN Stats & Information research. In 2022, it was 203 rushes, with only 16 pressures (8%) and 3.5 sacks.The Jets attributed the slippage, in part, to his position, saying he played the 4-technique -- head-up on an offensive tackle. In those matchups, he probably was at a 60-pound disadvantage. ESPN's data doesn't specify blocking matchups, only the rusher's position. The Jets plan to use him as a 9-technique, a wide position that should allow him to build up speed before confronting the tackle.

So, yes, there's some projection involved, which adds risk. But Nagy said, "The Jets were smart. I don't know if a lot of teams would let their minds go there."They can't afford to be wrong on McDonald, their highest-drafted edge rusher since Vernon Gholston (No. 6 overall) in 2008.

rest of above article  > https://www.espn.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/91929/how-jets-will-mcdonald-went-from-off-year-to-top-pass-rushing-prospect

[JiFtheOracle]

Love these stories.  

Cant wait to watch this dude chasing down and strip sacking QB's to close out games.

[jtomm]

By  Ryan Dunleavy - August 1, 2023

Will McDonald could be in danger of blowing his cover, especially if his first NFL play turns out as he is envisioning.

Overshadowed by the trade for Aaron Rodgers, the new Super Bowl expectations and the “Hard Knocks” hype, McDonald is the rare Jets’ first-round draft pick operating in obscurity before his rookie season. He says that he “doesn’t really need the attention,” but it sounds like he has a plan to steal some away from other sources.“Everybody has gotten me to understand that you have to have a mentality going into the league, otherwise you won’t survive,” McDonald said after Monday’s practice. “Definitely I’ve gotten to that point where you have the mentality … every single down you have to kill your opponent.”

McDonald is a possible starter at defensive end Thursday when the Jets (minus most of their veterans) open the preseason against the Browns in the Hall of Fame Game. Pay attention to the Browns’ first pass play because McDonald will be going for his first quarterback hit, after weeks of practicing under hands-off training-camp rules.

“Hopefully, it will be the first thing that I do,” McDonald said, laughing. “That definitely is going to make me happy in a certain way as soon as I’m able to do that. But I have to be able to execute those opportunities once I get them.”The Jets drafted McDonald with the No. 15 pick, after the Steelers traded up to No. 14 for offensive tackle Broderick Jones. Based on the first two weeks of camp, Jones could’ve slotted in as a starter at an area of significant concern whereas McDonald — whom the Jets claim was their preferred target — looks like an added luxury for the deepest part of the roster.

“Aside from the quarterback, D-line is one of the harder positions to produce within your first year,” head coach Robert Saleh said. “It’s always good when you can fly under the radar. He has a chance to go find himself, figure out who he is, learn some new techniques. His athleticism is freakish. I’m not going to compare him to the people I’m thinking of, but he has a tremendous amount of ability in him.”

McDonald’s most likely role early in the season is as a pass-rush specialist, building on the 34 sacks accumulated in 48 career games at Iowa State. At least until he adds strength to his 6-foot-4, 236-pound frame to complement his first-step quickness and a spin move borrowed from Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby.“I just kind of mix it in my own way, with my own juice,” McDonald said of the move that had scouts raving pre-draft. “I kind of just create moves in a way to where people expect the unexpected. I watched it on film, went on the field and tried it, got familiar with the steps and perfected it in my way.”

The Jets’ plan for McDonald’s integration alongside Carl Lawson, John Franklin-Myers and others is similar to what was in place for Jermaine Johnson — their third of three-first-round picks in 2022 — when he played 27 percent of the defensive snaps as a rookie. Johnson transformed his body in the offseason and is expected to make big strides in Year 2.“I’m greatly improved since I got here up until now,” McDonald said. “Just trying to stay in that balance … putting a couple new things in my pass rush. Definitely the bull [rush], just to try to make myself better. Everything expected is for me to make plays and do what I need to do to help the team.”

McDonald’s expanded repertoire was on display Monday when he faked an outside rush and used a swim move to beat second-team left tackle Mekhi Becton. If he replicates that in a game setting, McDonald’s time in the shadows will end quickly.“He can win with speed, he can counter inside, but until you get those tackles playing a little bit more heavy-footed because they’re afraid of your power, all that stuff won’t matter,” Saleh said. “But I’m excited. I think he’s going to show really well in the preseason.”

 >>   https://nypost.com/2023/08/01/jets-first-rounder-will-mcdonald-doesnt-plan-to-be-under-the-radar-for-long/

[C Mart]

On 5/7/2023 at 8:28 AM, Bowles Movement said:

You can see that Joe Douglas values work ethic and character, particularly in his high draft picks.   

And Saleh..Again, it's been said many times by him, Saleh's quote of "do you like football or love football"

Q: How do you assess a player's character during an interview?
A: I've always believed, money only makes you more of what you already are. So, these young men are coming into this profession and they're going to be getting money thrown at them. So, you can't just discount what you're reading, you can't discount what you're seeing, it's very, very important to dig deep and get to the root of who these men are as individuals. You have to understand when this person comes into the building, whatever you think the issues are are only going to exacerbate with money.

So, we're just trying to figure out what makes these young men tick, why they play the game, do they play the game because they like it or because they love it. There's a distinct difference between the two as well because when you look at guys who play the game because they like what it does to their brand, or are they playing the game because they absolutely love everything about it. They love the football part of it, they love the studying, they love rehab, they love training, the locker room, they love everything. Those are the ones that usually work out in this league. So, you study, you dig deep, and you try to figure it all out, and between now and the draft [April 28-30 in Las Vegas] that's exactly what we're doing. That's exactly what the entire league is doing -- trying to figure out which guys are going to stand the test of time in regard to longevity in this league and being productive.

Q: How do you motivate your players? Or do they need any extra motivation?
A: There's two types of people, internally motivated vs. externally motivated. Externally motivated people have a certain feeling and what they're capable of once they've reached that external motivation. I mean what else are you fighting for. If you're internally motivated, you're always striving to beat yourself, when it's internal you're always trying to perform every day.

So, in a global sense it is about us. Do we study trends, do we study schemes, and do we stay at the forefront of evolution? Absolutely. But as far as our philosophies in what we look for from a character standpoint, an athlete and how they fit in our scheme, it's about us. As we go into gameday it's about us. We focus on us, and the belief is that if you focus on you and make it about you and you do everything to maximize who you are, then you'll make the great ones look normal and you'll embarrass the bad ones. That's just where we are from a mentality standpoint and what we're trying to develop here.

https://www.newyorkjets.com/news/robert-saleh-what-is-your-motivation

[jtomm]

On 5/15/2023 at 7:34 AM, JiF said:

Love these stories.  

Cant wait to watch this dude chasing down and strip sacking QB's to close out games.

..DROY   🧐

[Maxman]

When Saleh came here I was scared about these wide 9 edge rushers. I realize now my fear was based on personnel or the lack of it.

Putting McDonald over the OT makes no sense. Get him a running start and let him disrupt things.

[BornJetsFan1983]

On 5/7/2023 at 5:28 AM, Bowles Movement said:

You can see that Joe Douglas values work ethic and character, particularly in his high draft picks.   

Makes me wonder if cook didn't get the offer he wanted because of the off field? Joe and Saleh preach high character. Q is about as good as it gets in that department..Rodgers, sauce etc all super talented and super good people

[jgb]

4 hours ago, BornJetsFan1983 said:

Makes me wonder if cook didn't get the offer he wanted because of the off field? Joe and Saleh preach high character. Q is about as good as it gets in that department..Rodgers, sauce etc all super talented and super good people

Definitely need to risk-adjust the price but every GM says they value high character then when push comes to shove talent is king. JD also bid for Tyreek Hill who has abused his girlfriend/wife (pushed her down the stairs when pregnant) and is accused of breaking his son’s arm and was caught on tape saying “I want him to fear me” when talking about the incident.