Jayden McDonald Season 2021
2023: Played in 12 games, making five starts ... registered 30 tackles (11 solo) ... tallied one pass breakup and a quarterback hurry ... set a season high with six tackles against N.C. State (Nov. 18).
2022: Played in 10 games, making three starts ... Recorded 20 tackles (six solo), 3.0 TFL (16 yards), 1.0 sacks (12 yards) and one quarterback hurry ... Did not appear at Duke (Nov. 12) ... Assisted on a tackle and was credited with a quarterback hurry at No. 24 NC State (Oct. 27) ... Recorded his first career sack (12-yard solo), finishing with four tackles (three solo, 1.0 TFL) at Pitt (Oct. 8) ... The ensuing punt following his sack was blocked for a Tech touchdown ... Registered two tackles at North Carolina (Oct. 1) ... Assisted on a tackle against Wofford (Sept. 17) ... Finished with four tackles (one solo), achieving a career high with 1.0 TFL (2 yards) against Boston College (Sept. 10) ... Made his first career start, setting a career high with seven tackles (one solo, 0.5 TFL) at Old Dominion (Sept. 2).
High School: A three-year starter at Salem High School for head coach Don Holter ... Named a second-team preseason all-state selection in 2020 prior to the season being postponed ... Earned first-team honors on the Virginia Class 4 All-State Team as a defensive back in 2019 ... He registered 37 total tackles, five INTs, 3.5 TFL and 11 pass breakups during the 2019 campaign as Salem advanced to the state semifinals ... On offense, he recorded seven catches for 89 yards with one TD to go with two rushes for 21 yards ... He was named to the Virginia Region 4D All-Region Team in 2019, as well … Won the Class 4 State Title with Salem in the spring of 2021 … Posted 43 total tackles (22 solo), one TFL, defended five passes and forced one fumble his senior season on a State Championship defense that allowed 9.3 points per game … Caught five passes for 98 yards and a TD.
Personal: Son of Jermaine Johnson and Sharon Jennings ... Twin brother Jorden is on the Tech roster as a defensive lineman ... Majoring in sports media and analytics.