North Carolina Tar Heels#15 · LB Derek McDonald
77 Overall rating steady- Height
- 6-4
- Weight
- 230 lb
- Class
- Senior
- Hometown
- Atlanta, GA
Derek McDonald is a LB (#15) for North Carolina, from Atlanta, GA. In the 2026 season he has 36 tackles over 4 games. Season-by-season stats and the game log are below.
Skill profile
Production
Tackles 18
Sacks 5
Interceptions 3
Passes defensed 10
Forced fumbles 3
Splash plays 5
Efficiency
Tackles per game 17
Sack rate 5
Coverage 10
Ball-hawking 3
Run defense 18
Havoc rate 9
Measurables
Height 17
Weight 13
Frame 15
Experience 17
How we rate The ACCFOOTBALL.CO skill model methodology & sources
Every rating is produced by our own model. Not a vendor score. Each skill is graded 0-20 by where a player ranks against others at his position, and the Overall is a position-normalized rating where an elite player tops out near 96 (a rare 97 plus is reserved for all-time greats) so a cornerback and a receiver read on the same scale. Ratings are built through week 6 of the 2026 season and refreshed every week through the season, so the ▲/▼ beside the Overall is the genuine move since last week.
- Data. Real box-score production from CollegeFootballData, drawn from official game stats.
- Method. Each stat is turned into a within-position percentile, then blended across a player's recent seasons, weighted by games played so recent, full seasons lead and an injury year does not sink the score.
- People. Compiled by The ACCFOOTBALL.CO Desk and checked by Coverage Review against the official book.
- Updates. Recomputed on Mondays once the week's games are final. Corrections are logged in our editorial & corrections policy.
2026 season
36
Tackles
0.0
Sacks
0
Interceptions
0
Tackles for loss
1
Passes defended
0
Forced fumbles
Derek McDonald career stats by year
| Season | Tm | G | Tackles | Sacks | INT | PD | FF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | UNC | 4 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 | SYR | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | SYR | 12 | 50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | SYR | 13 | 61 | 2.5 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2022 | SYR | 9 | 41 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Career | 41 | 194 | 3.5 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
Season totals, 2022 to 2026. Source: CollegeFootballData.
Schedule and results
Status
Result
37
3
No games match these filters.
Box score log
| Date | Opp | Result | TKL | SACK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 3 | vs Notre Dame | L 26-37 | 12 | 0 |
| Sep 19 | at Clemson | L 20-28 | 10 | 0 |
| Sep 12 | vs East Tennessee State | W 35-3 | 3 | 0 |
| Aug 29 | vs TCU | W 15-10 | 11 | 0 |
Career timeline
- NowNorth Carolina LB: #15
- ClassSenior
- HometownAtlanta, GA
Derek McDonald: North Carolina LB profile and stats
Derek McDonald is a LB (#15) for North Carolina, from Atlanta, GA. This profile tracks Derek McDonald's season stats, skill ratings and game log through the 2026 season, and links straight into the North Carolina roster, the ACC players hub and the conference schedule. To see where North Carolina sits in the race, check the live ACC standings.
Derek McDonald in the news
All newsRecapNotre Dame beat North Carolina 37-26 (Week 5, 2026)Notre Dame beat North Carolina 37-26 at Kenan Stadium. Now Notre Dame is 5-0, and North Carolina is 2-2, 0-1 in ACC play.2026-10-03RecapNorth Carolina beat East Tennessee State 35-3 (Week 2, 2026)North Carolina beat East Tennessee State 35-3 at Kenan Stadium. Now North Carolina is 2-0, and East Tennessee State is 0-1.2026-09-12RecapNorth Carolina beat TCU 15-10 (Week 1, 2026)North Carolina beat TCU 15-10 at Aviva Stadium, a neutral site. Now North Carolina is 1-0, and TCU is 0-1.2026-08-29
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Frequently asked questions
What team does Derek McDonald play for?
Derek McDonald plays for North Carolina, wearing #15 at LB.
What position does Derek McDonald play?
Derek McDonald is a LB for North Carolina.
How tall is Derek McDonald?
Derek McDonald is 6-4 and weighs 230 lb.
What year is Derek McDonald in?
Derek McDonald is listed as a senior on the North Carolina roster.
Where is Derek McDonald from?
Derek McDonald is from Atlanta, GA.
How many tackles does Derek McDonald have?
Derek McDonald has 36 tackles in the 2026 season. Full numbers are in the stats above.