T.J. McDonald | Safety, senior | 6'3'', 205 pounds
T.J. McDonald 2013 NFL Draft scouting notes
Games watched: UCLA, Oregon, Arizona, Stanford
First Word: T.J. McDonald is a flashy player. He possesses a dynamic size and speed combo at the safety position and hits people hard. He is not completely refined as a player, though. While his aggressive nature allows him to make plays on the football, it often is the cause of McDonald being out of position on occasion. The raw tools are there for McDonald to be a successful NFL player, but he’ll need to refine his game during his senior season.
Strengths
- T.J. McDonald is a solid athlete. Blessed with a big frame -- which could use some filling out -- McDonald has the size and speed to be a safety in the NFL. His athleticism also helps him in coverage.
- McDonald is a heavy hitter. When he connects, ball carriers go down hard.
- McDonald's aggressive nature allows him to make some big time plays in USC's secondary.
Weaknesses
- T.J. McDonald is somewhat stiff in the hips when dropping back into coverage. He doesn't excel in man-to-man.
- While McDonald hits hard, he doesn't always hit clean. He was suspended for half of a game for an illegal hit to the head last year. I also noticed he doesn't always take the best angle to the ball, which leaves him attempting sloppy arm tackles that allow the ball carrier to pick up extra yards. Needs to improve on his run defense.
- McDonald needs to add some bulk to his 6-foot-3-inch frame.
- While McDonald's aggressive style can be fun to watch, it often leaves him out of position both in pass and run defense. He makes a lot of big plays, but gives up a lot of big plays as well.
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