Linebacker, North Carolina (from Syracuse), 2021–26
Derek McDonald
- Number
- No. 15
- Height
- 6′4″
- Weight
- 230 lb
- Class (2026)
- Senior
- Hometown
- Atlanta, GA
- Born
- Jul 15, 2002, in Atlanta, Georgia
Derek McDonald plays linebacker for North Carolina, after Syracuse (2021–25). Last time out, at Duke: 7 tackles. McDonald leads North Carolina in tackles this season.
2026 so far
55 tackles
Last game: 7 tackles at Duke, W 24–20
Next game: vs. Syracuse, Oct 24
Filled bars: wins; outlined: losses.
Career highs
12tackles, career hightwice; last at Pittsburgh, 2026Defense
* The season in progress, so far.
| Season | Team | Tkl | Solo | TFL | Sacks | Int | PD | Hur |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Syracuse | 41 | 26 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 2023 | Syracuse | 61 | 28 | 4 | 2.5 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| 2024 | Syracuse | 50 | 26 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2025 | Syracuse | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2026 | North Carolina | 55 | 22 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Career | 213 | 106 | 7.5 | 3.5 | 1 | 5 | 9 | |
Season lines from CollegeFootballData, regular season and bowls. A dash: the source has no number for that season (often an FCS season), and career totals count only the numbers on file.
On the roster
| Season | Team | No. | Pos | Class | Ht | Wt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Syracuse | 15 | LB | Yr 1 | ||
| 2023 | Syracuse | 15 | LB | Yr 2 | ||
| 2024 | Syracuse | 15 | LB | Yr 3 | ||
| 2025 | Syracuse | 15 | LB | Yr 4 | ||
| 2026 | North Carolina | 15 | LB | Sr. (Yr 5) | 6′4″ | 230 |
As each season’s roster listed the player (CollegeFootballData). Classes before the latest listing are counted back from it; “Yr 1” is the year on file where that count can’t place a season he played (a redshirt, transfer or 2020 year); height and weight as last listed.
Game by game
2026 North Carolina 6 games, 55 tackles
| Date | Opponent | Result | Tkl | Solo | TFL | Sacks | Int | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 29 | vs. TCU | W 15–10 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 12 | vs. East Tennessee State | W 35–3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 19 | at Clemson | L 20–28 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Oct 3 | vs. Notre Dame | L 26–37 | 12 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 10 | at Pittsburgh | W 21–17 | 12 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 17 | at Duke | W 24–20 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
2025 Syracuse 3 games, 6 tackles
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2024 Syracuse 12 games, 50 tackles
| Date | Opponent | Result | Tkl | Solo | TFL | Sacks | Int | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 31 | vs. Ohio | W 38–22 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 7 | vs. Georgia Tech | W 31–28 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 20 | vs. Stanford | L 24–26 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 28 | vs. Holy Cross | W 42–14 | 4 | 1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 4 | at UNLV | W 44–41 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 12 | at NC State | W 24–17 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 24 | atPittsburgh | L 13–41 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 2 | vs. Virginia Tech | W 38–31 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 9 | at Boston College | L 31–37 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 23 | vs. UConn | W 31–24 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 30 | vs. Miami | W 42–38 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 27 ✦ | vs. Washington State | W 52–35 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2023 Syracuse 13 games, 61 tackles, 2.5 sacks
| Date | Opponent | Result | Tkl | Solo | TFL | Sacks | Int | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2 | vs. Colgate | W 65–0 | 7 | 0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 9 | vs. Western Michigan | W 48–7 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 16 | at Purdue | W 35–20 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 23 | vs. Army | W 29–16 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 30 | vs.Clemson | L 14–31 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 7 | at North Carolina | L 7–40 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 14 | at Florida State | L 3–41 | 10 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 26 | atVirginia Tech | L 10–38 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 3 | vs.Boston College | L 10–17 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 11 | vs.Pittsburgh | W 28–13 | 5 | 4 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 18 | atGeorgia Tech | L 22–31 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 25 | vs. Wake Forest | W 35–31 | 2 | 0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 21 ✦ | vs. South Florida | L 0–45 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
2022 Syracuse 9 games, 41 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT
| Date | Opponent | Result | Tkl | Solo | TFL | Sacks | Int | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 3 | vs. Louisville | W 31–7 | 1 | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Sep 10 | atUConn | W 48–14 | 4 | 1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 17 | vs.Purdue | W 32–29 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 15 | vs.NC State | W 24–9 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Oct 22 | atClemson | L 21–27 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 29 | vs.Notre Dame | L 24–41 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 5 | atPittsburgh | L 9–19 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 12 | vs.Florida State | L 3–38 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Nov 19 | atWake Forest | L 35–45 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Box scores from CollegeFootballData, 2004 on. ✦ postseason; ★ a career high on file.
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