Jayden McDonald
Jayden McDonald
Limited signal — not enough coverage for a story yet.
Career Arc
Coaching Lineage · 2022–2025
2 coachesCoaching transition mid-career: Gus Malzahn → Scott Frost. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2025 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | UCF | 15 | 9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | -- |
| 2023 | Virginia Tech | 26 | 8 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2022 | Virginia Tech | 19 | 6 | 3.0 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 60 | 23 | 4.0 | 1.0 | 2 | 1 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2025
W 17–10
vs Jacksonville State
3 SOLO · 3 TOT
A wire-to-wire battle — won by 7 at home.
How he plays
Play style
Carries tight ends down the field in coverage.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
UCF
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · UCF
Returning around him
- 31% of 2024 offensive production back (Moderate turnover)
- 1 UCF player drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -3 net (32 in / 35 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
UCF · Last season: 5-7 · Talent rank #43 · 2026 recruiting class #66
DNA match
Player DNA
Coverage 'Backer
Carries tight ends and patrols the middle of the field in coverage.
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Dylan Spelios’s 2024 season.
Matches Dylan on
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Jackson Wiegold's junior season at Ball State (2025).
Matches Jackson on
Differs from Jackson on
Heisman trajectory
Heisman Trajectory · 2025
Peak #10997
Peaked at #10997 this season.