The New York Jets have had some wins in the National Football League Draft in recent memory.
Many will point to the quarterback position as something that needs to be fixed, but the Jets actually have done really well in the draft outside of that position. In 2025, the Jets had a few hits, including Armand Membou, Mason Taylor, Azareye’h Thomas and Malachi Moore, among others. The 2022 NFL Draft obviously was a good one with Garrett Wilson, Sauce Gardner and Breece Hall all being selected, although Gardner obviously is playing elsewhere now.
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Another draft pick that has worked out for the Jets so far has been defensive end Will McDonald IV. The 26-year-old is the Jets’ best overall pass rusher at this moment. He had three sacks as a rookie in 2023 after being selected with the No. 15 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. McDonald followed with 10 1/2 sacks in 2024 and eight sacks in 2025 in 15 games.
The Jets are expected to make the right call
New York Jets defensive end Will McDonald IV (9) runs off the field after sacking Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel (8) during an NFL Week 10 game between the New York Jets and the Cleveland Browns at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025. | Julian Leshay Guadalupe/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
McDonald is the real deal and Jets general manager Darren Mougey insinuated on Tuesday that the team will be picking up his fifth-year option for the 2027 season, as shared on X by ESPN’s Rich Cimini.
“(We) feel really good about Will and that being a possibility,” Mougey said, as transcribed by Cimini.
McDonald’s fifth-year option — if the team does, in fact, officially pick it up — is currently projected to be just over $15.3 million, per Over The Cap.
He’s worth the price. McDonald, again, is the team’s best pass rusher. The pass rush in general was a problem in 2025, but he still showed big-time promise. With Aaron Glenn calling the plays on defense in 2026, there could be room for even more for the 26-year-old. There are plenty of holes for the Jets to fill, including adding more pieces to the pass rush. But picking up the fifth-year option for McDonald would be an easy win and it sounds like the team is leaning in that direction.