Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 15-10@ TCU | 11 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 11 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 35-3vs East Tennessee State | 3 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 14 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#15
Derek Mcdonald
Graduate linebacker for North Carolina. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′4″ · 230 lb · Atlanta, GA · Marist School
CFB Index 29 · #461 of 571 LBsHigh confidenceTransferred Syracuse → North Carolina for 2026
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.
The numbers
14
tackles · 2026
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 11 tackles, vs TCU
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 linebacker for North Carolina. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Syracuse in 2021.
- Transferred from Syracuse to North Carolina in 2026.
Derek Mcdonald
Is steady in every phase without a signature trait. Four head coaches in five seasons, at two different programs. The receipt: 11 tackles against TCU — Week 1, 2026.
14 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
4 programs, one constant: he played.
2021
- Signed with Syracuse3-star out of Marist School
2026
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2022–2026
3 coaches2022–2023
North Carolina
2024era →
Freddie Kitchens
North Carolina
2025–2026era →
Bill Belichick
North Carolina
Played under 3 different head coaches: Mack Brown, Freddie Kitchens, and Bill Belichick. Multi-era developmental context.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to North Carolina
2025Syracuse
2026North Carolina
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2022Syracuse7-6HC: Dino Babers · Run-leaning, slow tempo
2023Syracuse6-7HC: Nunzio Campanile · Run-heavy
2024Syracuse10-3HC: Fran Brown · Pass-leaning, fast tempo
2025Syracuse3-9HC: Fran Brown · Balanced
2026North Carolina2-0HC: Bill Belichick · Balanced, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidence
Concern: tackles for loss (20th 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 2 games: 7.0 TKL/g, 0.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Bill Belichick
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2024
Part-time starter
Tackle volume for the position in part-time-starter range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
29 · #461 of 571 LBs
Three-star recruit. Now #461 at the position.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | North Carolina | 14 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Syracuse | 6 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Syracuse | 50 | 26 | 0.5 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Syracuse | 61 | 28 | 4.0 | 2.5 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2022 | Syracuse | 41 | 26 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 2 | 1 | -- |
| Career | 172 | 89 | 6.5 | 3.5 | 3 | 1 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 15–10
at TCU
11 TOT · 4 SOLO
A wire-to-wire battle — won by 5 on the road.
With B. Edwards — 232 yds · 0 TD · 0 INT · QBR 77.2 · -4 rush yds (7 car) · A. Burrell — 28 LONG · 67 PCT · 7 PTS
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
Balanced Linebacker
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
LB
His 2024 production profile sits closest to James Jackson’s 2022 season.
75%match
NFL Rd 3 · Pk 3
Matches James on
TFL rate
Tackle volume
Solo tackle rate
Differs from James on
Height (higher)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Gerrell Johnson's junior season at Massachusetts (2022).
82%match
Matches Gerrell on
Tackle volume
Weight
TFL rate
Player DNA
Players who play like Derek Mcdonald
Background
2025 Redshirt Senior Season at Syracuse Appeared in four games with one start, before missing the remainder of the season due to injury Had a pair of tackles against Tennessee (8/30) Made five tackles and 0.5 tackles for loss against UConn (9/6) Had a tackle against Colgate (9/12) 2024 Redshirt J...
The linebacker corps · North Carolina
- #8Jonathan Agumadu10 tackles · 2025
- #54Timir Hickman-Collins9 tackles · 2025
- #15Derek Mcdonald6 tackles · 2025
- #95Daniel Anderson3 tackles · 2025
- #10Peyton Seelmann2 games · 2026
8 more on the roster · North Carolina team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology