Kayden McDonald Scouting Report

By: Michael Higgins

(Image courtesy of James Black/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

School: Ohio State

Class: Junior

Position: DT

HT: 6’3

WT: 326 lbs

Background: Kayden McDonald was a 4-star defensive lineman out of Suwanee, Georgia. Kayden’s older brother, Jayden, is currently a linebacker for Troy. McDonald played for North Gwinnett High School, where he was a GHSA all-state selection as a senior. In his final 2 seasons of high school, McDonald had a combined 98 TFLs, which is one of the craziest stats I have ever seen. On top of the elite play on defense, McDonald also ran for 409 yards and 11 touchdowns as a senior. Kayden McDonald committed to play for Ohio State over Clemson, Oklahoma, Michigan, and Florida.

College: Kayden redshirted in 2023 and became a more prominent player on the defensive line in 2024. That was a year in which McDonald had 19 tackles and 1.5 TFLs. 2025 was his first year as the Buckeyes’ starter and he did not disappoint. He totaled 57 tackles, 8 TFLs, and 3 sacks on his way to an All-Big 10 First Team selection.

Strengths: Kayden McDonald is a built out defensive tackle who provides a physical mismatch on just about every opponent. He is a dense player with a thick lower half, allowing him to use that weight to maintain gaps in the run game. He does well to absorb pushes from linemen in the run game, keeping his linebackers clean and allowing them to make easy plays on the football. He diagnoses run fits well and can disrupt the play before it gets started. He has the vision to diagnose angling blocks or pulling linemen and adjust accordingly. As a pass rusher, McDonald has the strength to knock linemen off their anchor and slice through gaps in the line. He changes his tempo throughout a rush to get his opponent off pace and guessing. He can often be seen rocking the opponent back and forth before finally going to a powerful bull rush, taking advantage of a lineman not being fully set.

Weaknesses: McDonald’s hands are not active enough. He does not deconstruct blocks well and that can cause him to get washed out on occasion. His pad level is inconsistent. He has shown the ability to get low, but he stands straight up far too often. His feet are positioned too close together, forming a penetrable base. McDonald does not offer much in the form of a counter rush. Once his initial rush is brought to a halt, he struggles to get back on his horse.

Conclusion: Kayden McDonald has the potential to be a game wrecker at the next level. He is an elite talent who can win as both a run defender and pass rusher. His natural ability allows him to be overwhelmingly disruptive, but if he can get more consistently active hands, he will be near impossible to stop.

Best Team Fits: LAC, BUF, DET

Player Comparison: DJ Reader

Player Grade: Round 1 (92.2)