Jets’ decide Will McDonald IV has to surrender his weird car-jumping interest

The expertise was so uncommon that even the Jets made a social media post about it.

There stood Will McDonald IV, their first-round draft decide within the 2023 NFL Draft, leaping over an SUV within the parking zone in an undated video. And some seconds later, following two different clips of the Iowa State defensive lineman’s athleticism, there was McDonald, once more, leaping over a unique automotive in a unique parking zone.

If there’s a listing of unusual expertise among the many first-round draft picks from Thursday, then McDonald — and his skill to leap over vehicles at 6-foot-4, 239 kilos — seemingly would rank close to the highest.

The weird feats generated an interview query on the Senior Bowl, and McDonald informed NFL Community on the time that he enjoys exploring the “excessive” feats his physique can accomplish, however “I can’t be doing that no extra as a result of I’m gonna be within the professionals.”

McDonald then confirmed that in his introductory Jets press convention Friday, telling reporters that he’s “retired from leaping over vehicles.”

“The following factor I’m going to be leaping over is simply tackles,” McDonald mentioned, “in order that’s it.”

Within the first clip, McDonald, donning an Iowa State soccer shirt, sprinted towards a Mazda and cleared the highest, utilizing simply his left hand as a information excessive of the automotive.

“That really is loopy,” McDonald informed NFL Community on the Senior Bowl, laughing as the printed repeated the video clips of him leaping over the 2 vehicles. “Yeah, you recognize, I all the time wish to attempt to take my physique to the acute, see what I can do. There’s much more to discover.”

Meet up with the whole record of Jets picks from the 2023 NFL Draft, together with round-by-round evaluation.

Whereas that most likely received’t contain leaping over vehicles, the Jets hope that McDonald can no less than maneuver round offensive linemen and attain opposing quarterbacks.

That’s why they chose him No. 15 general, including him to their group of pass-rushers, and didn’t thoughts his soccer inexperience, as McDonald didn’t begin enjoying the game till he was a junior in highschool.

“We really feel like he is among the most dynamic, if not essentially the most dynamic, cross rushers on this draft,” Jets common supervisor Joe Douglas informed reporters after their choice Thursday evening. “A terrific mixture of ability and manufacturing and athleticism. 

“I believe it was on full show on the Senior Bowl and all all through his profession in Ames. I’m fired up so as to add him to our robust unit and maintain including to the road of scrimmage.”

McDonald recorded 5 sacks, 7.5 tackles for loss and 7 quarterback hurries throughout his last season with the Cyclones, and he grew to become the primary Iowa State participant to turn out to be a first-round decide since 1973.