Image Credit: Iowa State University Athletics
Games Watched: Kansas State (2021), Northern Iowa (2021) Best Game: Kansas State (2021)
Worst Game: Northern Iowa (2021)
First Step: McDonald has a good first step off of the ball. He can quickly reach the top of his arc in just a few steps with a great short area burst. He can put instance pressure on his opponents and get them to overset to counter his speed.
Bend: McDonald has good hip flexion but is not particularly fluid around the edge with his ankles. He can struggle with body control from an outside track, and will open up his chest at the top of his arc. He takes a relatively tight path to the quarterback but can struggle to achieve that elite bend.
Hand Usage: McDonald can play low and leveraged from his five technique spot which allows him to get good hands-on his opponents. He manages to create great extension using his plus arm length to maintain spacing against the run. This allows him to also quickly jab at the pads of offensive tackles with good accuracy. He doesn’t drive with much power and instead his game is predicated on length plus speed.
Pass Rush Plan: McDonald has plenty of good moves that he uses at the top of his rush. Wins largely with finesse that helps him leverage the long-arm power rush. Additionally, he can deploy the rip move using his length to drive his opponents back into the quarterback’s lap. He displays plenty of great push and pull despite lacking elite strength to generate said power.
Motor/Effort: Seldom does McDonald give up on plays and is definitely a high-effort rusher. There are plenty of examples of him pushing and pulling through the line of scrimmage in order to track down the ball carrier. McDonald has a great second gear that allows him to track down the football.
Lateral Mobility: McDonald has plenty of lateral explosiveness that allows him to stand pat against read options. He can explode laterally and run out to the flat without too much labor. He’s not elite in this area but what he’s displayed will translate to an NFL game.
Run Defense/Anchor: This is arguably McDonald’s least appealing trait but part of it is not his fault. The 3-3-5 defense the Cyclones deploy asks him to take on much more responsibility in the run game than he likely should. Despite this, McDonald has good block framing skills that allows him to quickly peak and shed blocks. His football IQ is good and can show consistency when reading keys but takes band angles off of blocks. Additionally, his lower half strength or lack thereof hinders how effectively he can set a physical edge.
Athletic Ability: McDonald has great upfield explosiveness which allows him to succeed when setting up rush moves. Laterally speaking, again, McDonald has good burst but lacks elite twitch when playing out into the flats. He has enough foot quickness to drop into low underneath coverages should the situation call for it.
Strength: McDonald has a slim frame and so doesn’t carry much torque when setting an outside edge. He won’t be destroyed by players however offensive tackles with elite strength and physicality will give him issues at the next level.
Versatility: McDonald is likely going to be looked at as an attacking 4-3 defensive end. However, he has enough athleticism to be deployed as a standup rusher and come at opponents from space. McDonald should thrive in fronts that deploy a lot of wide nine alignments.
Summary: Will McDonald is a player you can win with due to pass rush experience, first step explosiveness and high end effort. McDonald has plenty of pass rush moves he uses to put pressure on the quarterback while showing sufficient bend to the corner. He lacks elite lower half strength and needs to improve his abilities versus the run. McDonald is a scheme versatile edge rush that can contribute right away as designated pass rusher.
Grade: 82.3/100- Day 1 Starter (First Round)Report Author: Nick Price, Positional Scout
Twitter: @PriceCheck3