Iowa State Cyclones Standout Lands Breathtaking Outlook With NFL Team

Former Iowa State Cyclones star Will McDonald has certainly established himself as a force on the NFL level, as the New York Jets edge rusher enjoyed a very impressive sophomore campaign in 2024.

McDonald appeared in every game last season, racking up 28 tackles, 10.5 sacks and a couple of forced fumbles while playing in 66 percent of the Jets' defensive snaps. That followed an underwhelming rookie year when he logged 14 tackles and three sacks.

The 26-year-old is taking great strides in attempting to develop into more of an all-around player next year, gaining 15 pounds of muscle this offseason to perhaps become more effective against the run, where he struggled mightily last year (he posted a 39.5 run defense grade at Pro Football Focus).

Evidently, McDonald has looked tremendous in New York's offseason workouts, and Nick Faria of Jets X Factor raved about the Iowa State product in a recent stock up-stock down piece.

"No player in camp looked better than Will McDonald," Faria wrote. "While the lack of pads will always help a quick player like him, practices open to the media showed that the former first-round pick has gotten bigger, stronger, and faster. If he is this same kind of dominant force when the pads come on, the Jets should be ecstatic about his potential in Year 3."

McDonald spent five years with the Cyclones between 2018 and 2022, registering back-to-back double-digit sack campaigns in 2020 and 2021. He led the Big 12 with 10.5 sacks in the former year.

The Pewaukee, Wi. native was then selected by the Jets with the 15th overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft.

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