Kayden McDonald

Position:
Defensive Line
Height:
6-3
Weight:
326
Hometown:
Suwanee, Ga.
Last School:
North Gwinnett
Year:
Junior

Follow on Social Media
Instagram: @kmac_dt
Twitter: @kmac_dt

Ohio State Overview
• Kayden capped a three-year career with Ohio State in 2025 by being named a unanimous All-American with first-team honors by the Associated Press, The Sporting News, American Football Coaches Association, Football Writers Association of America and Walter Camp
• Also named the Big Ten Conference's Smith-Brown Defensive Lineman of the Year
• Totalled 65 tackles during an exceptional 2025 season with 9.0 tackles for losses totalling 29 yards, 3.0 quarterback sacks, two forced fumbles and two pass break-ups
• Earned Bronko Nagurski national defensive player of the week honors after recording seven tackles, 3.0 TFLs and 2.0 sacks in the win at Washington
• Had a career-high eight tackles three times in huge games: vs. Texas, Penn State and Miami
• Big junior season leaves Kayden with career totals of 85 tackles, 11.0 TFLs for losses totalling 33 yards, 3.0 quarterback sacks and three PBUs
• Played 37 games and started 14 times
• He recorded 19 tackles in 2024, including 1.5 tackles-for-loss
• Also was credited with one pass break-up and one quarterback hurry
• He played in seven games for the Buckeyes in 2023, at defensive tackle and as a fullback in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl
• He was in on one tackle, a tackle-for-loss and a pass break up
• He is a two-time OSU Scholar-Athlete and a two-time Academic all-Big Ten Conference honoree who is majoring in communications
• Off the field, Kayden partnered with Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio and served as an ambassador in support of the charities' mission

Honors & Awards
2025: Unanimous first-team All-American (AP, TSN, FWAA, AFCA and Walter Camp), Big Ten Conference defensive lineman of the year, Outland Trophy finalist, first-team all-Big Ten, Academic all-Big Ten,
2024: OSU Scholar-Athlete, Academic all-Big Ten Conference
2023: OSU Scholar-Athlete

More on Kayden
• Kayden was a part of the 2023 class of Ohio State recruits
• He joined the team in June of 2023
• A four-star prospect and top 25-ranked player in the state of Georgia
• No. 12-ranked defensive tackle in the nation
• Had 68 tackles in 12 games as a senior at North Gwinnett under coach Bill Stewart, with 13.0 sacks and 40.0 tackles-for-loss
• Was just as productive as a junior, amassing 95 total tackles in 12 games with 58.0 TFLs and 19.0 sacks
• Had seven sacks in a first round 7A playoff game and 14 sacks in a three-game span during the regular season
• Career totals include 234 tackles, school-record totals of 46.0 sacks and 131.0 tackles for loss in 40 games
• Had 77 carries on offense for 409 yards and 11 touchdowns during his senior season
• Honors include Gwinnett Daily Post defensive player of the year, all-region and Georgia High School Association all-state
• High school teammate of current Ohio State cornerback Jordan Hancock
• He is the son of Kristi Green
• An older brother, Jayden, is a linebacker at Troy, and also has a sister, Justice