April 28, 2026
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2026 NFL Scouting Report: Kayden McDonald

Charlie Campbell04 mins




--2026 NFL Draft Scouting Reports Lander-- Drew Allar, QB, Penn State C.J. Allen, LB, Georgia David Bailey, DE, Texas Tech Rueben Bain Jr., DE, Miami Caleb Banks, DT, Florida Carson Beck, QB, Miami Chris Bell, WR, Louisville Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama Chase Bisontis, G, Texas A&M Denzel Boston, WR, Washington Zachariah Branch, WR, Georgia Xavier Chaplin, OT, Auburn Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina Jonah Coleman, RB, Washington K.C. Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M Omar Cooper, WR, Indiana Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU Oscar Delp, TE, Georgia Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State Gennings Dunker, OT/G, Iowa Spencer Fano, OT, Utah Keldric Faulk, DE, Auburn Malachi Fields, WR, Notre Dame Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia Earnest Greene III, OT, Georgia John Michael Gyllenborg, QB, Wyoming Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee Cashius Howell, DE, Texas A&M Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech Ted Hurst, WR, Georgia State Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State Vega Ioane, G, Penn State Gabe Jacas, DE, Illinois Darrell Jackson Jr., DT, Florida State Domani Jackson, CB, Alabama Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State Javon Kilgore, S, South Carolina Cade Klubnik, QB, Clemson Malachi Lawrence, DE, Central Florida Makai Lemon, WR, USC Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah Kyle Louis, OLB, Pittsburgh Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana Akheem Mesidor, DE, Miami Blake Miller, OT, Clemson Christian Miller, DT, Georgia Derrick Moore, DE, Michigan Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU L.T. Overton, DT, Alabama T.J. Parker, DE, Clemson Harold Perkins, OLB, LSU Emmanuel Pregnon, G, Oregon Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama Kamari Ramsey, S, USC Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State Tony Rojas, LB, Penn State Sam Roush, TE, Stanford Joe Royer, TE, Cincinnati Keylan Rutledge, G, Georgia Tech Keon Sabb, S, Alabama Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama Nicholas Singleton, RB, Penn State Jake Slaughter, C, Florida Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon R. Mason Thomas, DE/OLB, Oklahoma Michael Trigg, TE, Baylor Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State Mateo Uiagalelei, DE, Oregon Mike Washington, RB, Arkansas Antonio Williams, WR, Clemson Peter Woods, DT, Clemson Isaiah World, OT, Oregon Zion Young, DE, Missouri

  • Kayden McDonald, 6-3/326
  • Defensive Tackle
  • Ohio State

Kayden McDonald Scouting Report

By Charlie Campbell

Strengths:

  • Disruptive interior defender
  • Good skill set
  • Big
  • Strong
  • Athletic
  • Quick
  • Agile
  • Capable inside rusher
  • Powerful bull rush to push through blockers
  • Strong to shed blocks
  • Has some variety in pass rush moves
  • Uses hands and feet at same time
  • Strong run defender
  • Holds his gap
  • Can shed blocks and chase
  • Can absorb double teams
  • Anchors without problems
  • Quality lateral anchor
  • Ready to contribute immediately
  • Experienced and successful against good college programs
  • Creates mismatches out of the slot

Weaknesses:

  • Conditioning could need improvement
  • Gets in trouble when he plays too high

Prospect Summary:

In 2024, McDonald was a backup on the Buckeyes championship team, recording 19 tackles with a pass batted. After sitting behind some future NFL pros, McDonald was a disruptive force and a dynamic run defender for the Buckeyes in 2025. He totaled 65 tackles with three sacks, two forced fumbles, and a pass batted.

As a pass rusher, McDonald has a nice skill set to attack offensive linemen. He has a strong build with active hands and the power to shed blocks at the point of attack. McDonald has power in his bull rush to knock blockers back and can get penetration into the pocket. To go along with power, McDonald has a burst to close and impressive speed for a big interior lineman. McDonald has the upside and the ability to be a quality interior pass rusher in the NFL.

In the ground game, McDonald is strong and stout at the point of attack. He holds his gap well with the power in his base to stonewall downhill runs coming straight at him. McDonald is also disruptive to blowing runs up in the backfield by getting penetration through his strength or using his quickness to fire his gap and get into the backfield. McDonald gets in trouble when he plays too high, so maintaining his pad level and leverage will be important for holding his ground against NFL offensive linemen.

In the 2026 NFL Draft, McDonald could be picked in the first round. Check out where he is currently projected in my latest 2026 NFL Mock Draft.

Prospect Comparison:

Daron Payne. In terms of style of play, McDonald reminds me of Payne coming out of Alabama.


--2026 NFL Draft Scouting Reports Lander-- Drew Allar, QB, Penn State C.J. Allen, LB, Georgia David Bailey, DE, Texas Tech Rueben Bain Jr., DE, Miami Caleb Banks, DT, Florida Carson Beck, QB, Miami Chris Bell, WR, Louisville Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama Chase Bisontis, G, Texas A&M Denzel Boston, WR, Washington Zachariah Branch, WR, Georgia Xavier Chaplin, OT, Auburn Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina Jonah Coleman, RB, Washington K.C. Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M Omar Cooper, WR, Indiana Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU Oscar Delp, TE, Georgia Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State Gennings Dunker, OT/G, Iowa Spencer Fano, OT, Utah Keldric Faulk, DE, Auburn Malachi Fields, WR, Notre Dame Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia Earnest Greene III, OT, Georgia John Michael Gyllenborg, QB, Wyoming Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee Cashius Howell, DE, Texas A&M Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech Ted Hurst, WR, Georgia State Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State Vega Ioane, G, Penn State Gabe Jacas, DE, Illinois Darrell Jackson Jr., DT, Florida State Domani Jackson, CB, Alabama Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State Javon Kilgore, S, South Carolina Cade Klubnik, QB, Clemson Malachi Lawrence, DE, Central Florida Makai Lemon, WR, USC Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah Kyle Louis, OLB, Pittsburgh Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana Akheem Mesidor, DE, Miami Blake Miller, OT, Clemson Christian Miller, DT, Georgia Derrick Moore, DE, Michigan Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU L.T. Overton, DT, Alabama T.J. Parker, DE, Clemson Harold Perkins, OLB, LSU Emmanuel Pregnon, G, Oregon Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama Kamari Ramsey, S, USC Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State Tony Rojas, LB, Penn State Sam Roush, TE, Stanford Joe Royer, TE, Cincinnati Keylan Rutledge, G, Georgia Tech Keon Sabb, S, Alabama Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama Nicholas Singleton, RB, Penn State Jake Slaughter, C, Florida Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon R. Mason Thomas, DE/OLB, Oklahoma Michael Trigg, TE, Baylor Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State Mateo Uiagalelei, DE, Oregon Mike Washington, RB, Arkansas Antonio Williams, WR, Clemson Peter Woods, DT, Clemson Isaiah World, OT, Oregon Zion Young, DE, Missouri



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