2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Will McDonald

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Will McDonald, 6-4/245 Defensive End/Outside Linebacker Iowa State

Will McDonald Scouting Report
By Charlie Campbell

Strengths:

Superb athleticism

Explosive speed off the edge

Natural pass-rush ability

Good get-off

Excellent in pursuit

Potential for repertoire of pass-rushing moves

Enough speed to get around the corner

Active hands at times

Agility to sink his hips/shoulder

Splash plays

Agility to dodge blockers on the run

Very twitchy

Upside

Good natured kid

Weaknesses:

Liability as a run defender

Lean and skinny

Needs more weight

Needs more strength

Playing-time limitations because of his size

Underweight to play 4-3 defensive end

Has some struggles with immaturity and naïveté

Summary: In the passing-driven NFL, edge defenders who can get after the quarterback are always in demand. With his speed, athleticism, and length, McDonald has the potential to be an impactful edge defender who could log double-digit sacks annually as a pro. He proved to be a consistent quarterback hunter over his career at Iowa State.

McDonald started out his collegiate career with six sacks in 2019. Then in 2020, he jumped out to 10.5 sacks and 33 tackles. As a junior in 2021, McDonald totaled 36 tackles, 11.5 sacks, five forced fumbles and three passes batted. In his senior year, Big XII offenses sent a lot of double teams his direction and rolled the pocket away from him. McDonald’s production was down as a result, and recorded five sacks, 36 tackles and four passes batted. However, McDonald still rushed well and got valuable experience from seeing consistent double-team attention. Over his college career, McDonald notched an impressive total of 10 forced fumbles.

As a pass rusher, McDonald is fast off the ball with smooth athleticism to dart around blockers. Team sources rave about McDonald’s pass-rush ability, and his natural skills at getting after the quarterback. McDonald is fast and athletic, allowing him to shoot past blockers and put steady heat on the signal-caller. With a serious burst, McDonald closes space in a hurry and darts upfield. He shows natural pass-rushing feel and instincts. McDonald has long arms and is able to use his hands and feet at the same time. Using his quickness and agility, he has a dangerous spin move to get off blocks.



Team sources called McDonald a terrible run defender, saying he gets destroyed against the run too often. They noted that even against bad teams McDonald would get embarrassed in the ground game. At sub-250 pounds, McDonald must get stronger for the NFL. He has to show more ability to hold his ground and not get pushed around. If McDonald could grow into just an average run defender, that would be a big improvement and make him a valuable starter in the passing-driven pro league.

For the NFL, McDonald’s best fit could come as a 3-4 outside linebacker. His run-defense limitations could possilby be covered up by a five-technique defensive end. McDonald’s weakness as a run defender prevents a projection of him being viewed as a starting end in a 4-3 defense. For a 4-3, he would only be a designated pass rusher in obvious passing situations. That will probably be his role in any defense, but a 3-4 system might offer more opportunities for him to develop into a larger role.

Team sources think McDonald will be a pick in the back half of the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. If McDonald slips to Round 2, he should get snatched up quickly.



Player Comparison: Yannick Ngakoue. McDonald is akin to Ngakoue coming out of Maryland. Both were natural quarterback hunters who had issues in run defense. Ngakoue (6-2, 246) was a second-day pick, and McDonald could go in the same range during the 2023 NFL Draft.

2023 NFL Draft Player Previews - Choose Player 2023 NFL Draft Player Previews - Home Devon Achane, RB, Texas A&M Adetomiwa Adebawore, DE, Northwestern Jordan Addison, WR, USC Will Anderson, DE, Alabama Felix Anudike-Uzomah, DE, Kansas State Steve Avila, G, TCU Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland Micah Baskerville, LB, LSU Keeanu Benton, DT, Wisconsin Matthew Bergeron, OT, Syracuse Mekhi Blackmon, CB, USC Kayshon Boutte, WR, LSU Brian Branch, S, Alabama Julius Brents, CB, Kansas State Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson Chase Brown, RB, Illinois Sydney Brown, S, Illinois Jack Campbell, LB, Iowa Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia Zach Charbonnet, RB, UCLA Malik Cunningham, QB, Louisvile Gervon Dexter, DT, Florida Josh Downs, WR, North Carolina Max Duggan, QB, TCU Jaelyn Duncan, OT, Maryland Zach Evans, RB, Ole Miss Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Notre Dame Isaiah Foskey, DE, Notre Dame Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon Derick Hall, OLB, Auburn Jaren Hall, QB, BYU Anton Harrison, OT, Oklahoma Daiyan Henley, LB, Washington State Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee Siaki Ika, DT, Baylor Antonio Johnson, S, Texas A&M Paris Johnson, OT, Ohio State Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU Broderick Jones, G, Georgia Dawand Jones, OT, Ohio State Calijah Kancey, DT, Pittsburgh Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah Sam LaPorta, TE, Iowa Will Levis, QB, Kentucky Quan Martin, CB, Illinois Cody Mauch, G, North Dakota State Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame Will McDonald, DE, Iowa State Kenny McIntosh, RB, Georgia Tanner McKee, QB, Stanford Kendre Miller, RB, TCU Jonathan Mingo, WR, Ole Miss Cam Mitchell, CB, Northwestern Malachi Moore, S, Alabama Mike Morris, DE, Michigan Wanya Morris, OT, Oklahoma Myles Murphy, DE, Clemson Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State Zion Nelson, OT, Miami B.J. Ojulari, OLB, LSU Demarvion Overshown, LB, Texas Owen Pappoe, LB, Auburn Jarrett Patterson, C, Notre Dame Clark Phillips, CB, Utah Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas Chris Rodriguez, RB, Kentucky Drew Sanders, LB, Arkansas Noah Sewell, LB, Oregon Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern Cam Smith, CB, South Carolina Mazi Smith, DT, Michigan Nolan Smith, DE, Georgia Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State John Michael Schmitz, C, Minnesota Tyler Steen, OT, Alabama Tyrique Stevenson, CB, Miami C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State Cedric Tillman, WR, Tennessee Joe Tippman, C, Wisconsin O'Cyrus Torrence, G, Florida Henry To'oTo'o, LB, Alabama Tuli Tuipulotu, DE, USC D.J. Turner, CB, Michigan Lukas Van Ness, DE, Iowa Deuce Vaughn, RB, Kansas State Tyree Wilson, DE, Texas Tech Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia Keion White, DE, Georgia Tech Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee Bryce Young, QB, Alabama

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