FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Will McDonald knew there had to be something he could do to get even better during his college days at Iowa State.
So he turned on film of the Las Vegas Raiders' Maxx Crosby and the star pass rusher's spin move jumped off the screen.
“I went out on the field, tried it and just got familiar with it, got familiar with the steps,” the New York Jets rookie defensive end said Monday. “And I just tried to perfect it in my way.”
The fast, athletic McDonald spun his way to a school-record 34 sacks during his five seasons at Iowa State while also tying Texas Tech’s Aaron Hunt for the Big 12 career mark. That's one more than Von Miller — McDonald's idol as a kid — had at Texas A&M.
McDonald meticulously studied Miller's moves, too. But adding what he saw from Crosby, who has 37 1/2 sacks in four NFL seasons, made McDonald even more dominant.
“I just kind of mix it in with my own way, like my own juice,” McDonald said. “And I kind of put some more taste in there and just do it on my own. So I kind of create moves in a way to where people would expect the unexpected.”
The Jets loved everything they saw about McDonald when they watched the Wisconsin native's game film in college.
So with the 15th overall pick in the draft in April, New York jumped at the chance to add him to its defense.
“His athleticism is freakish,” coach Robert Saleh said. “I’m not going to put names on them — I’m not going to compare him to the people I’m thinking of — but he’s got a tremendous amount of ability in him.”
McDonald had a solid spring while picking up the defense. His training camp got off to a slow start as he sat out a few days while dealing with a bruised leg suffered in the first practice of the summer.
He has been solid since, flashing on defense at times with would-be sacks and showing quickness off the edge.
“It's definitely going up to my expectations,” McDonald said. “Just improving, learning every day. Now I'm just trying to get better.”
With all the attention from the daily horde of media on players such as Aaron Rodgers, Garrett Wilson, Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams, there has been an unusual lack of buzz around McDonald as a first-round pick.
But that's OK with him and the Jets.
McDonald doesn't need to immediately dominate in the NFL because of the depth of the Jets' defensive line that's considered by some the deepest in the league.
“Coming to the NFL, I’m just going to do what I need to do,” he said. “I really don’t need the attention or anything else. I just want to come here and I just want to go against the man in front of me and do my job.”
Saleh compared McDonald's situation to Jermaine Johnson's from a year ago. Johnson, the 26th overall pick out of Florida State, was a bit overshadowed by being the Jets' third first-round pick last year, behind both Gardner and Wilson. He also was behind several veterans on the depth chart, so he wasn't tasked with needing to come in and play regularly.
Johnson was able to get some experience playing, but had time to learn the intricacies of the league and the Jets' defense — and is poised for a much bigger role this season.
“As for Will, kind of in that same boat,” Saleh said. “He’s got a chance to go find himself, figure out who he is, learn some new techniques. ... He’s got to learn some things, but to be able to do it on his time is always a plus.”
McDonald will make his NFL debut Thursday night in the Hall of Fame game against the Cleveland Browns in Canton, Ohio. It'll be the first measuring stick for the rookie — and an opportunity to use those spin moves to hit an NFL quarterback.
“Hopefully it'll be the first thing that I do,” a smiling McDonald said. “I know that's definitely going to make me happy in a certain way as soon as I'm able to do that. But I've got to be able to execute those opportunities once I do get them.”
NOTES: Saleh said the Jets had “a really good discussion” with free agent running back Dalvin Cook, who met with them over the weekend. The former Minnesota Vikings star is still pondering his options, but Saleh said the Jets won't press him on a decision. ... Wilson (ankle) and Corey Davis (illness) remained out. Wilson is a few days away from returning, but Saleh said Davis could be back Tuesday.
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