Will McDonald

Will McDonald

26-Year-Old Defensive EndDE
New York Jets
2025 Fantasy Outlook
McDonald broke out with 10.5 sacks in 2024 after posting only 3.0 sacks as a rookie. He's already an excellent pass rusher, but the 2023 first-round pick out of Iowa State needs to beef up his run defense to earn a consistent three-down role. McDonald, who is listed at 6-4 and 236 pounds, reportedly added 15 pounds of muscle in the offseason to alleviate concerns of being undersized for a defensive end. Read Past Outlooks
RANKS
#401.39
ADP
#Subscriber-Only
IDP
$Signed a four-year, $16.32 million contract with the Jets in July of 2023.
Full participant Thursday
DENew York Jets
December 4, 2025
McDonald (ankle) was a full participant in practice Thursday.
ANALYSIS
McDonald's upgrade to full participation cleared him of injury designation, and he is set to suit up for Sunday's game against the Dolphins. McDonald has logged at least a 70 percent snap share in each of the last two games, though he may see extra playing time if fellow defensive lineman Jermaine Johnson (ankle) cannot suit up for Sunday's divisional clash.
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NFL Stats
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2025
2024
2023
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2024 NFL Game Log
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2023 NFL Game Log
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Snap Distribution / Depth Chart
Snap Counts
Snap %
New York JetsJets 2024 DE Snap Distribution See more data like this | See last season's snap counts
#% of Team Snaps

70366%
13973%
58154%
9550%
21921%
5227%
11911%
00%
979%
00%
797%
00%
767%
00%
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2024 Will McDonald Split Stats
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Measurables Review View College Player Page
How do Will McDonald's measurables compare to other defensive ends?
This section compares his draft workout metrics with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that metric and it would be considered average.
* The 40-Yard Dash, Shuttle Time, and Cone Drill metrics are from his Pro Day. All others are from the NFL Combine.
Height
6' 4"
 
Weight
251 lbs
 
40-Yard Dash*
4.69 sec
 
Shuttle Time*
4.22 sec
 
Cone Drill*
6.85 sec
 
Vertical Jump
36.0 in
 
Broad Jump
132 in
 
Bench Press
0 reps
 
Hand Length
9.50 in
 
Arm Length
34.88 in
 
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Past Fantasy Outlooks
2024
2023
McDonald was brought along slowly in his rookie year after being drafted 15th overall in 2023, posting 3.0 sacks in a part-time role. The speedy pass rusher is expected to see an uptick in playing time in his second NFL season, though McDonald's slender 241-pound frame suggests he could struggle in run support and is thus best suited for a situational role.
McDonald was drafted 15th overall by the Jets in 2023, joining a deep defensive end rotation that also features Carl Lawson, John Franklin-Myers and 2022 first-round pick Jermaine Johnson. While McDonald could struggle in run support at just 240 pounds, he was a productive pass rusher at Iowa State, racking up 33.5 sacks over the past three years.
More Fantasy News
Limited due to ankle issue
DENew York Jets
Ankle
December 3, 2025
McDonald (ankle) was a limited participant in practice Wednesday.
ANALYSIS
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No tackles in Week 12 loss
DENew York Jets
November 25, 2025
McDonald registered zero tackles during the Jets' 23-10 loss to the Ravens on Sunday.
ANALYSIS
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Good to go vs. Baltimore
DENew York Jets
November 23, 2025
McDonald (quadriceps) is active for Sunday's game against the Ravens.
ANALYSIS
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Questionable to face Baltimore
DENew York Jets
Quadriceps
November 21, 2025
McDonald (quadriceps) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Ravens.
ANALYSIS
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Back on injury report
DENew York Jets
Quadriceps
November 19, 2025
McDonald (quadriceps) did not practice Wednesday.
ANALYSIS
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Auditioning for fifth-year option
DENew York Jets
December 3, 2025
McDonald has had a down season and could be auditioning to have the fifth year on his rookie contract picked up, Rich Cimini of ESPN suggests.
ANALYSIS
McDonald had a breakout 2024 season, logging 10.5 sacks across 17 games. He's on pace to approach that mark and to set a new career high in tackles, so it seems likely that the Jets would want to secure him for the maximum his rookie contract allows. However, Cimini cites McDonald's falling pressure percentage, which has dipped from 16.3 to 11.7 percent, as a reason the team may not want to commit roughly $14.9 million to McDonald in 2027.
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