The Jets opened some eyes on draft night, and not all in a good way, as they selected edge rusher Will McDonald from Iowa State with their 15th pick in the first round.
Many expected Gang Green to go after an offensive lineman to bolster the protection in front of Aaron Rodgers, but by moving two spots back in the draft as a result of the Rodgers trade, the top linemen were no longer available, and the Jets didn’t want to reach just to fill a need.
Instead, they took who they felt was the best player available in McDonald, who is ready to take on whatever role is necessary as a rookie.
“I'm gonna bring everything that I can, whether it's playing special teams, being a role player,” McDonald said. “Just doing whatever I've got to do.”
Of course, the Jets would like more from a 15th overall pick, and are hoping McDonald will be a consistent menace in the backfield and at the line of scrimmage for a defense that took a significant step forward last season. McDonald feels he has the makeup to succeed, and he will have some fans that need convincing given their feelings on New York’s draft decision.
“A lot of things I learned at Iowa State, a lot of discipline and a lot of pose, learning to make the right decisions,” McDonald said. “I’ve learned from great teammates, and just doing whatever I can do to help everybody around me.”
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