McDonald showed impressive growth from his sophomore year to last season. After recording 44 tackles as a sophomore, he exploded with 125 tackles, 12 TFLs, 2 sacks, and 4 forced fumbles last year. His ability to make plays all over the field, both in coverage and behind the line, highlights his potential. With that kind of production, he’s certainly put himself on my radar and someone I’ll be watching closely this fall to see if he can duplicate.

McDonald’s leadership was needed more than ever last night. Falling behind 20-0 to start the game is less than ideal. The defense made adjustments and never looked back. McDonald was all over the field and found the ball down after down. He made a few tackles right in the hole and didn’t miss an opportunity to go for the ball. The first few drives for Mooresville looked like it was about to be a long night for THNV last night, but because of the leadership from guys like McDonald, they turned it into one of the best games in recent memory.