Kayden McDonald

● Wide, squatty body type, with thick lowers and bubble ● Can fire off the ball and create immediate knockback 400 Back to table of contents -- 404 of 629 -- ● Explodes through his hips to reach and jolt blockers ● Shows GPS for the football in the run game, allowing him to make stops at or behind the line ● Outstanding tackle production in 2025 (especially considering his role and snap count) ● Strong grip strength to eliminate runners once he makes contact ● Holds his ground versus double teams and resists pressure versus down blocks ● Flashes gap-shooting quickness when looking to generate pass rush ● Competes with a nasty edge; coaches say he developed better resiliency with a more permanent role

● Some sloppiness in his midsection — weight seemed to fluctuate throughout the season ● Only one season as a starter; a gradual start to his pro career should be expected ● At his best working from his square, and doesn’t offer a ton of range ● Doesn’t create consistent push, and rush attempts often stall ● More violence than cohesion or efficiency in pass-rush hands ● Kept fresh by a heavy rotation in 2025

A one-year starter at Ohio State, McDonald lined up as the nose guard in defensive coordinator Matt Patricia’s versatile front. After handling a backup role as a sophomore, he became a starter in 2025, as the Buckeyes had to replace all four starters from their 2024 national title-winning defensive line. McDonald emerged as an All-American and was the most dominant defensive player on several of Ohio State’s 2025 tapes, which says a lot considering the defense’s talent. McDonald’s powerful skill set is at its best when he acts as a run defender. He resets the line of scrimmage with his initial burst and power, attacking and shucking blocks from a leveraged position. He plays games of peek-a-boo (and often wins) with ball carriers willing to test A-gap run lanes, and his awareness allows him to fill up the stat sheet with line-of-scrimmage stops. However, he had just 695 career snaps (32 defensive snaps per game in 2025), and his inexperience will be more noticeable against NFL blockers. Overall, McDonald will require time to develop a pass-rush identity, but his dominant run-game qualities will make him immediately useful from different interior alignments. He projects as an early-down rookie, with a role that should continue to expand.