2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Will McDonald IV (DE – Iowa State)

As the NFL season winds down, FantasyPros will be taking a look at early NFL draft scouting reports before the combine in March. Here’s a look at Will McDonald IV.

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2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Will McDonald IV (DE – Iowa St.)

Will McDonald IV (DE – Iowa St.)

6’4” – 245 lbs.

Background:

Redshirted as a true freshman, then managed 15-6.0-6.0 over just 129 snaps the following year before stepping into a starting role. Went 35-13.0-10.5 as a sophomore, leading the NCAA in sacks, 36-13.0-11.5 as a junior, and then went 36-7.5-5.0 as a senior, playing 343 snaps in 2020 and over 500 in each of the final two seasons in school.

Positives:

Highly productive four-year contributor with excellent length for a pro edge; reportedly has a 6’10” wingspan. Lines up all over; will play as a down lineman on some three-man lines, and also stands up and rushes out of a two-point stance. Fires out low and with explosiveness. Flashes some power on initial contact. Shows discipline when working on the back side. Nice awareness to avoid getting sucked in by misdirection. Pretty rangy in pursuit; gives excellent effort, has a nice closing burst, and offers a wide tackling radius to finish. Knows how to set up opposing linemen and is able to chain together some moves as a pass-rusher. Has a nice first step to threaten the edge with speed; sudden enough to work back inside when tackles overcommit. Overall flexibility is very good. Bends a smooth arc around the edge; nice shoulder dip. Spin counter looks promising, with some violence to it. Good instincts to go for the strip; has ten career forced fumbles. Has experience making some drops into zone coverage, typically one a game or so.

Negatives:

Will need to continue adding bulk at the next level. Has a tendency to drop his head into contact, making it difficult to locate the ball at times. Functional strength is adequate at best; doesn’t drive his legs consistently after contact and can occasionally be walled off by opposing tight ends, relying much more on a speed/technique-based approach to rushing the passer. Contact balance and anchor strength leave something to be desired; can be put on skates at times. Some instances where he comes in too fast around the edge, ending up on the ground.

Summary:

A long, sudden, and flexible pass-rusher with the first step and bend to threaten the edge, some variety to his rush approach, and a good understanding of hand use, he looks like someone who can contribute relatively soon as a situational pass-rusher, but who must continue to add additional bulk/functional strength to hold up in the run game at the next level.

Projection: Round 3