Derek McDonald

#15· North Carolina ·LB ·Gr ·2027 Draft · Atlanta, GA

6'4"Height 230 lbWeight

Representation

Milk & Honey Sports AgentAJ Calabro Confirmed

Injury HistoryMulti-Year StarterPlug-and-Play

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Overview Background Scouting Stats Media & News

High School Background

★★★

Stars

#1439

National

#76

Position

#132

State

HometownAtlanta, GA

High SchoolMarist School

Transfer History

Syracuse North Carolina 2026 ★★★

#2189

National

#175

Position

High School Offers 25

Akron Austin Peay Bucknell Chattanooga Dartmouth Fordham Georgia Harvard Holy Cross Jacksonville State Lafayette Lehigh Louisville Murray State Pennsylvania Princeton Southern Illinois Syracuse Tennessee State UConn Villanova Wake Forest Western Carolina Wisconsin Yale

SCOUTSZN

Scouting Report

July 29, 2026

Derek McDonald #15

North Carolina · LB · Gr · 2027 Draft · Atlanta, GA · Marist School

6-4 · 230 lbs

4.6

UDFA

Floor 4.0 · Ceiling 4.9

#2318 overall · #296 LB of 15102

Scouting Verdict

McDonald is a sixth-year Syracuse vet brought in for leadership and depth after his production tailed off in an injury-shortened 2025 (he was a 50-60 tackle starter in 2023-24). Experienced stop-gap, not a prospect.

Ceiling · 4.9

Projected 2026 starter (LB1) — real opportunity to climb; close to ceiling (+0.3) · up-year team · ACC draft-temper · LB lower-value.

Floor · 4.0

Proven starter — high, stable floor · returning-starter role secures it; downside −0.6.

Pedigree

3★ recruit · Natl #1439 · Pos #76 · State #132

Path: Syracuse → North Carolina

Profile Tags

Injury HistoryMulti-Year StarterPlug-and-Play

College Production

Season	Team	GP	Tot	Solo	Sacks	INT	PD	FF
2025	Syracuse	3	6	4	—	—	—	—
2024	Syracuse	12	51	26	—	—	—	1
2023	Syracuse	13	63	28	2.5	—	1	—
2022	Syracuse	9	41	26	1	1	2	1