The Baltimore Ravens were actually a better defense in 2022 than they were given credit for.

Mike Macdonald’s unit was one of three teams to hold opposing teams to fewer than 100 yards rushing per game. The Ravens finished with 48 sacks, tied with the New Orleans Saints for fifth most in the NFL. They also allowed just 18.5 points per game, third best in the league. Those are all terrific marks for a first-year defensive coordinator.

The next step is getting the young players to match that production, as most of last year’s stat leaders could be elsewhere in 2023. Justin Houston accounted for a team-high 9.5 sacks. Calais Campbell was tied for second with 5.5. Jason Pierre-Paul finished with three sacks. There is a possibility none of the veterans are back this season.

The next wave of Ravens pass rushers has to step up. Odafe Oweh had just three sacks. Tyus Bowser had two after missing much of the season coming back from a knee injury. David Ojabo was also battling back from an injury of his own, but did get his first career sack under his belt. Six sacks from this trio aren’t nearly enough.

Baltimore needs to add more pass rushers to the mix, and Iowa State’s Will McDonald IV is one of the more intriguing prospects in the upcoming NFL Draft.

McDonald was a menace in college, leading the Big 12 in sacks in both 2020 (10.5 sacks was also most in the nation) and 2021 (11.5). His 34 career sacks sit among the all-time leaders in the FBS record books and are a Big-12 record. He surpassed Von Miller (33) for the most in conference history. His career marks at Iowa State also include 125 tackles, 40.5 tackles for loss, 34 sacks, seven passes deflected and 10 forced fumbles.

With Baltimore set to lose most of its pass rush production from a year ago, adding another edge defender makes a lot of sense. Let’s dive deeper into Big 12’s all-time sack leader.

Will McDonald IV

Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 239 pounds

Strengths: Natural edge defender with an array of pass rush moves. His high motor is constantly on display, as he’ll chase down ball carriers. Terrific spin move to beat defenders. Not only gets to the quarterback but creates turnovers with 10 career forced fumbles, including five in 2021.

Weakness: He’ll be one of the lightest edge rushers in the NFL at 239 pounds; can be neutralized by bigger tackles if he fails to beat them with his first step. Lack of size makes him a liability in run defense. His production dipped as teams started double-teaming and chipping him. He’s already 24 years old, making him older than most prospects in this class.

NFL Player Comparison: Vic Beasley

Draft Projection: Late Day 1 — Day 2

In terms of production, there might not be a better pass rusher in the class. McDonald would be the most accomplished edge player on the roster. It’s well documented that Oweh failed to produce big numbers in college. Ojabo got the majority of his sacks in one year and was opposite another dominant rusher in Aidan Hutchinson.

McDonald would give Baltimore a player it can plug and play to rush the passer. He’ll need some time to build his frame to handle the run, but he would give the pass rush a boost as he develops his overall game.

The Ravens have to hope they can find help in the draft to keep the defense among the top five in sacks in the league. McDonald’s addition to Macdonald’s defense would give the Ravens a more natural pass rusher to complement the other edge rushers on the roster.

Photo Credit: Jeff Spaur/Iowa State Athletics

Joe Serpico

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