Game log · Week-by-week
2023 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 6 | L 10-52vs Michigan | 2 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 | Season-high 2 tackles |
| Total | 2 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 |
#21
Craig McDonald
Senior defensive back on Minnesota's 2024 roster.
6′2″ · 215 lb · Minneapolis, MN
CFB Index 62 · #153 of 509 safetiesLow confidenceMinnesota 2023 alumnus
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.
Recruiting
3★
S recruit
No. 855 nationally · Signed with Minnehaha Academy
No college snaps yet.
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 defensive back on Minnesota's roster.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Minnehaha Academy in 2020.
- Transferred from Minnesota to Utah State in 2025.
Craig McDonald
Moves between deep coverage and the slot. Across three seasons and two programs, two head coaches: Matt Campbell and P.J. Fleck. The receipt on tape: 2 tackles against Michigan, Week 6, 2023.
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
How it ended
Three seasons at Minnesota, 44 tackles — his college career is complete.
His career
2020
- Recruited3-star out of Minnehaha Academy
2022
- Entered the portal
2023
- Entered the portal
2025
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2020–2023
1 coach2020–2021
Minnesota
2023
Minnesota
Played his entire career under P.J. Fleck.
2023 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2020Iowa State9-3HC: Matt Campbell · Run-leaning
2021Iowa State7-6HC: Matt Campbell · Balanced, fast tempo
2023Minnesota6-7HC: P.J. Fleck · Run-heavy, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Medium confidence
Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
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.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 1 game: 2.0 TKL/g, 0.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 1.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
P.J. Fleck
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2021
Part-time starter
Tackle volume for the position in part-time-starter range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
62 · #153 of 509 safeties
Three-star recruit. Now #153 at the position.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Minnesota | 2 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2021 | Iowa State | 41 | 24 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 1 | 2 | -- |
| 2020 | Iowa State | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 44 | 27 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 2 | 2 | -- |
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Moves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
Hybrid Nickel
Moves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB.
S
His 2021 production profile sits closest to Cecil Singleton’s 2021 season.
80%match
Matches Cecil on
Class year
Tackle volume
TFL rate
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Kenny Churchwell's sophomore season at UCLA (2022).
Matches Kenny on
Class year
PD rate
Tackle volume
Player DNA
Players who play like Craig McDonald
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology