Jets Spring First Round Surprise

Edition #380

Good morning!

Well that was a fun night, you knew it was going to be when the Houston Texans traded up to the #3 pick to make back-to-back selections. C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson Jr are franchise-changing talents for GM Nick Caserio and HC DeMeco Ryans. Houston trying to copy the Jets blueprint by getting the OROTY and DROTY in the same draft.

Seattle pairing Devon Witherspoon with Tariq Woolen gives them an outstanding 1-2 corner combo on the outside. Arizona took one of the Jet's targets off the board when they moved back to #6 for Paris Johnson Jr, Chicago took another by taking Darnell Wright, followed by Tennessee who took Peter Skoronski and then Pittsburgh jumped up and took Broderick Jones.

Leaving the Jets with their choice of Dalton Kincaid, Nolan Smith, Calijah Kancey, and JSN…they ended up waking Will McDonald IV from Iowa State.

"This kid has an elite ability to get after the quarterback." - Robert Saleh on Will McDonald.

Robert Saleh used Randy Gregory and Brian Burns as player comparisons when describing McDonald saying he: "is a guy who can close the door on some offenses and get to the quarterback. He's just got a unique ability to catch the corner. ... He's going to be special."

“That’s a great program. You know you’re getting tough, competitive, smart guys that love the game of football” Joe Douglas on drafting another Iowa State player after Breece Hall last year.

"I'm just gonna try to get to the Hall of Fame. I don't think I have a ceiling. I want to keep rising. I want to keep improving, 1% every day." -Will McDonald

“I actually followed Aaron Rodgers being from Wisconsin. I wasn’t a Packers fan but I was an Aaron Rodgers fan, so it’s actually a dream come true playing with Aaron. Being able to be around his mindset and how he works, I want to be around that positivity” - Will McDonald on playing with Aaron Rodgers.

The pick of McDonald is somewhat of a surprise considering most had him as a borderline first-round prospect in this draft, but as we’ve heard throughout the process, the mocks and draft analysts have been so far off in terms of projections.

What are the Jets getting in Will McDonald, an eclectic edge rusher who many at Iowa State consider the best edge they’ve ever had at the program.

Statistically, he’s had a fine career with 27 sacks and 33.5 tackles for a loss over the last three years, not to mention the 8 forced fumbles over that same period.