Will McDonald IV

STATS

YEAR (GP/GS)  TKLS     TFL      SACK     FF    PD    INT

2018: (4/0)            3           1.0         1.0          1       0       0

2019: (13/0)         15         6.0         6.0         1       0       0

2020: (12/0)        33        13.5       10.5        2       1       0

2021: (13/11)       36        14.0       11.5         5      3       0

2022: (12/12)      36         7.5          5.0         1       4       0

Total: (54/23)   123     42.0       34.0      10     8       0

 

HISTORY — from college profile

Awards and Honors

First Team All-American – FWAA, Phil Steele (2021)
Second Team All-American – CBS (2021)
Third Team All-American – AP (2021)
Big 12 Co-Defensive Lineman of the Year (2021)
First Team All-Big 12 – Coaches (2020, 2021, 2022)
Second Team All-Big 12 - Phil Steele, AP (2022)
Ted Hendricks Award Semifinalist (2020, 2021)
Second Team Academic All-Big 12 (2019, 2020)
Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year (2018)
Academic All-Big 12 Rookie Team (2018)
Reese's Senior Bowl Participant (2022)

 

2022: First Team All-Big 12 ... started all 12 games as one of the nation's most-feared pass rushers ... finished with 36 tackles and a team-high 5.0 sacks ... had 7.5 tackles for a loss ... led team with seven quarterback hurries ... broke up four passes and had a forced fumble and a fumble recovery ... tied the Big 12 career record with 34.0 sacks and leaves as ISU's career record holder ... tied for the ISU career record with 10 forced fumbles ... second all-time at ISU with 42.0 tackles for a loss ... had 123 career tackles and 18 quarterback hurries ... 34.1 percent of his career tackles were for a loss ... recorded a season-high five tackles against Baylor and Oklahoma ... recorded two sacks against Kansas State ... had eight career games with 2.0 or more sacks ... had a pair of tackles and a fumble recovery against Iowa.

2021: First Team All-American by the FWAA and Phil Steele … Second Team All-American by CBS … Third Team All-American by the AP … Big 12 Co-Defensive Lineman of the Year … First Team All-Big 12 … started 11 of 13 games … tied for the Big 12 lead in sacks for the second-straight season with 11.5, breaking his own single-season school record and ranking ninth nationally … had 36 tackles and three pass breakups … led the team and ranked second in the Big 12 with 14.0 TFL, tying for the ninth-best season total in ISU history … was second in the Big 12 and tied for fourth nationally with five forced fumbles, tying for the most in Cyclone history … also had a team-high seven QB hurries … had at least 0.5 TFL in 10 of 13 games and at least 0.5 sack in nine of 13 games … tallied 1.5 sacks vs. Iowa and posted three tackles, 2.0 TFL and forced a fumble vs. Baylor … against Kansas State, recorded four tackles, 2.0 sacks and two forced fumbles … posted five tackles, two QB hurries and had both of his sacks late in the fourth quarter to preserve ISU’s victory over No. 8 Oklahoma State … was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week after the victory over the Cowboys … was the Big 12’s top defensive player again after the Texas win, tallying career highs in tackles (6) and sacks (2.5) and forcing a fumble … had four tackles vs. Clemson in the Cheez-It Bowl.

 

2020: First Team All-Big 12 … Ted Hendricks Award semifinalist … Second Team Academic All-Big 12 … played in all 12 games and developed into one of the nation’s best pass-rushers … led the Big 12 and tied for first nationally in overall sacks with 10.5, the second-best season total in school history … recorded 33 tackles, including 19 solo stops, and forced two fumbles … led team and posted the fourth-most TFL in the Big 12 with 13.5 … had a sack in nine of 12 games played … had two sacks and four tackles vs. Louisiana … tallied three tackles, 2.0 TFL and a sack vs. Kansas … had a big game vs. Kansas State, racking up four tackles, 2.5 TFL, a sack and two forced fumbles … posted a three tackles and a pair of sacks vs. West Virginia … tallied four tackles and a sack vs. Oregon in the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl.

 

2019: Second-Team Academic All-Big 12 … began the season at linebacker before switching back to defensive end at mid-season … posted 15 tackles and 6.0 sacks, ranking second on the team and seventh in the Big 12 in sacks … his 6.0 sacks tied the school record by a freshman ... had 5.0 sacks in the last four games … also had two QB hurries and one forced fumble … posted first sack vs. TCU … credited with a sack and two QB hurries vs. Texas … tallied two sacks against Kansas and Kansas State … also had a forced fumble vs. Kansas State.

 

2018: Saw action in four games, but was able to earn a redshirt … had three tackles, a sack and a forced fumble … vs. TCU, tallied a sack and a forced fumble that was recovered by the Cyclones … had a tackle vs. Oklahoma State and West Virginia.

 

High School: Chose Iowa State over Minnesota and Baylor … three-star recruit by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN … ranked as a top-five player in Wisconsin by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN … ranked as the 46th-best weakside defensive end by 247Sports … 2017 WFCA first-team all-state selection … two-time all-region selection … tallied 61 tackles, 20.0 TFL, 12.0 sacks, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery as a senior … against Oconomowoc, had 12 tackles, 7.0 TFL and 4.0 sacks … also caught seven passes for 140 yards and two touchdowns … posted 69 tackles, 20.5 TFL and 11.5 sacks as a junior … also lettered in basketball, track and field and baseball … named the 2018 Classic 8 Player of the Year in basketball, averaging 18.3 points and 12.8 rebounds … was the Division I state track & field discus champion with a toss of 179-9 and was third in the high jump (6-4) … coached by Matt Harris.

 

PERSONAL

Born June 4, 1999 … son of Wilbert McDonald and Chandra Williams … liberal studies major.