Kayden McDonald was an Inconsistent Run Stuffer on 2024 Film

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Ohio State Defensive Tackle Kayden McDonald is going to play in the NFL.

He has elite size and power.

The question becomes value.

What was McDonald on his 2024 game film?

He was a sub-defensive tackle with limited playing time and limited production.

Pro Football Focus (PFF):

16 games

216 snaps

14 tackles, three quarterback hurries, no sacks, and one batted ball.

That’s the bottom line, no matter how much it’s dressed up.

Yes, he has “traits.”

But the traits must translate to consistency on the game film to determine value.

And with McDonald, they don’t.

That’s why his traits and production are like 1+1=3.

He also didn’t look as good as his fellow defensive tackle Tyliek Williams, and Williams went No. 28 to the Lions in the 2025 NFL Draft.

The NFL is a passing league

Herein lies the problem when determining draft value with McDonald.

He’s a better run stopper than a pass rusher, and the NFL is a passing league. In 2024, 29 out of 32 teams passed the ball more than 50% of the time, and that number is trending even higher this season.

How did McDonald look as a pass rusher on film?

Limited.

Sometimes he gets a good natural push into the heart of the pocket. Key word: sometimes.

McDonald has a SMALL PASS RUSH TOOLBOX, and he looks average at stopping and restarting on stunts.

Inconsistent vs. Run

That means McDonald needed to be a game-wrecker on the opponent’s running plays.

And he wasn’t.

Did he have “moments” when he was able to come off a block and blow things up?

Yes.

BIG RUN STOP

OHIO STATE DT #98 KAYDEN MCDONALD

VS. IOWA (2024) pic.twitter.com/f8unPkv5iK

— FIRST ROUND MOCK (@firstroundmock) December 4, 2025

Did he stop the run like that all the time?

No.

For every nice run stop, there were three other times he looked average.

He was best in goal-line situations.

McDonald wasn’t elite

Outside of a few “dominant” run stops, he looked ordinary against the run and very average against the pass.

I also noticed that Ohio State gave McDonald limited playing time as the team was marching toward winning the National Championship.

PFF snap count for McDonald in the college football playoffs:

Tennessee: 10

Oregon: 9

Texas: 7

Notre Dame: 9

Endurance?

That’s one of the questions I’m left with.

With limited play in the regular and postseason, and given his size, I need to see him get more snaps and see how he holds up as a full-time three-down defender. I need to see his level of conditioning.

Take away

I decided to evaluate McDonald after I saw that he was the No. 33-ranked prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft (NFL Mock Draft Database).

I’m disappointed.

I was expecting more.

I didn’t see anything that said “first-round” on his 2024 game film.

#98 Kayden McDonald 6-foot-3, 326 pounds

Daniel Kelly’s 2025 Fall Grade: Third-Round (I would select him)

Projected by NFL Mock Draft Database to be a First Round prospect as of December 4, 2025

2024 game film evaluated: Akron, Western Michigan, Marshall, Michigan State, Iowa, Oregon, Nebraska, Penn State, Purdue, Northwestern, Indiana, Michigan, Tennessee, Oregon, Texas, and Notre Dame (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)

2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report

A raw big man who relies on natural strength more than technique. Leans into pass and run blocks and is prone to losing his balance. Looks like a boulder. Tended to draw double teams. Good effort. Alpha. Average athlete. Thick steel-built upper body. Can be a handful. When pass rushing, if his initial attempt is stopped, he’s stopped. No secondary pass rushing plan. Flashes initial quickness and rapid hand movement. Tends to use hands. Stalemated too often. Flashed rip move (1x), Spin (2x), and ran “X” stunts (2x). Sometimes manages to slip into a gap and get pressure. Below average pocket adjustments. Some tightness. Limited area inside the box run defender. Can help create congestion. Has some violent car crash-type collisions with running backs when he connects. Shows some emotion. Good amount of garbage time snaps.

What to watch for during the 2025 college football season

1. Full-time three-down defender?

2. Making a difference as a pass rusher?

3. Consistent vs. the run?

Daniel Kelly is a former NFL Scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief for First Round Mock, and has written for Sports Illustrated (Lions, Jets, and 49ers), NFL Draft Diamonds, and Yardbarker, as well as a featured guest on ESPN Radio and Fox Sports Radio. Featured in USA Today. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. Follow on Twitter @firstroundmock.