With the New York Jets 2023 NFL season in the rearview, here is a lookat how the Green & White’s rookie class performed.
DE Will McDonald IV
DE Will McDonald, the Jets first-round pick (No. 15 overall) in last April’s draft, played sparingly as a rookie averaging, 12.2 snaps per game on defense in 15 appearances. The Jets depth at the D-line position made it difficult for McDonald to crack the rotation and resulted in him playing primarily on special teams.
The Iowa State product, however, came on late with 3 sacks in the final five weeks. He finished the season with 14 tackles, 4 tackles for loss and 7 pressures.
“I’ve always said aside from quarterback, the D-line is as hard as any position to adapt to in the NFL because it’s a completely different game in there,” HC Robert Saleh said. “So, I’m excited for him. He’s got a talent and a skill set that’s very rare, and as he continues to evolve and develop his skill set along with his body, he’s going to be a problem for a long time.”
Pass rusher Jermaine Johnson produced similar stats his rookie year with 2.5 sacks, 3 TFL and 7 pressures before taking a leap to 7.5 sacks and 25 pressures in Year 2. Saleh said he sees McDonald following a similar path.
“I’ve been taking advantage of my opportunities with the reps I’ve been getting, so I’m going to continue to do that,” McDonald said. “I’m taking after Jermaine, Bryce [Huff] and them. They teach me everything I need to know so that when I get in, I’m already ready for what I need to be doing.”
C Joe Tippmann
C Joe Tippmann, the Jets’ second-round pick (No. 43), spent most of the training camp playing with the second team. But after early-season injuries to the Jets O-line, Tippmann started at right guard in Week 3 and then became the starting center in Week 9 after an injury to Connor McGovern. He handled being thrust into the starting lineup in stride.
“I guess I didn’t know what to expect, especially I ended up…
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