Graduate linebacker for North Carolina. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
6′4″ · 230 lb · Atlanta, GA · Marist School
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
How he plays
Is steady in every phase without a signature trait.
Tackles: 92nd percentile.
The full scouting readThe numbers
tackles · 2026 · through week 3
3 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 11 tackles, vs TCU
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
Graduate linebacker for North Carolina. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
Derek Mcdonald
Is steady in every phase without a signature trait. Four head coaches in five seasons, at two different programs. The receipt: 11 tackles against TCU — Week 1, 2026.
24 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
His career
5 programs, one constant: he played.
Career arc
Coaching lineage · 2022–2026
3 coachesPlayed under 3 different head coaches: Mack Brown, Freddie Kitchens, and Bill Belichick. Multi-era developmental context.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to North Carolina
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | North Carolina | 24 | 10 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Syracuse | 6 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Syracuse | 50 | 26 | 0.5 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Syracuse | 61 | 28 | 4.0 | 2.5 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2022 | Syracuse | 41 | 26 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 2 | 1 | -- |
| Career | 182 | 94 | 6.5 | 3.5 | 4 | 1 | -- |
Game by game
Point color shows the opponent's defensive strength that week (red = weaker defense, blue = stronger) — dashed line is this player's own season average.
Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 3 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 15-10@ TCU | 11 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 11 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 35-3vs East Tennessee State | 3 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 3 | L 20-28@ Clemson | 10 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 | |
| Total | 24 | 10 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 |
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 15–10
at TCU
11 tackles · 4 solo tackles
A wire-to-wire battle — won by 5 on the road.
With B. Edwards — 232 yds · 0 TD · 0 INT · QBR 77.2 · -4 rush yds (7 car) · A. Burrell — 41.7 yards per punt · 3 punts · 2 inside the 20
Since week 2: +10 tackles, +1 pass breakup.
Season context · Team result + system
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Elite: tackles (92nd percentile). Concern: tackles for loss (16th percentile).
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Defender profile · Production by role
Where his impact shows up on the stat sheet
Tackle volume
24tackles this seasonTFL rate
0%0 TFLSack rate
0%0 sacksPD rate
4%1 pass breakups24 tackles.
Splits · Per-game
2026 season · 3 games
Home vs Road
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home1g | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Road2g | 10.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 |
First half vs Second half
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-73g | 8.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Bill Belichick
Pass share
46.9%
84 pass / 95 run
Plays / game
59.7
3 games
Team sack rate
6.5%
92 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-leaning, slow tempo.
Player standing · 2026
Tackle volume for the position at the early end of the ladder.
Play style
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
The No. 1,439 recruit in the country is starting at linebacker in the ACC as a graduate.
Player DNA
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
His 2026 production profile sits closest to Kavika Luafatasaga’s 2017 season.
Matches Kavika on
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a graduate, his production profile tracks closest to Nick Morris Jr.'s graduate season at Duke (2026).
Matches Nick on
Differs from Nick on
Player DNA
2025 Redshirt Senior Season at Syracuse Appeared in four games with one start, before missing the remainder of the season due to injury Had a pair of tackles against Tennessee (8/30) Made five tackles and 0.5 tackles for loss against UConn (9/6) Had a tackle against Colgate (9/12) 2024 Redshirt…
8 more on the roster · North Carolina team page