Jelani McDonald S Texas |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #4 ROLE: Zone Slot/Nickel Safety | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 08/03/2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2027 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 4.45 seconds (86%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #4 | |
| ROLE: Zone Slot/Nickel Safety | |
| Last Updated: 08/03/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2027 | |
| Forty time: 4.45 seconds (86%*) | |
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SHARE THIS PROFILE:
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| Overall Rating: |
85.9 / 100
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| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
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73% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| QB Rating When targeted: | 49.9 | |
| Tackling: |
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94% |
| Run Defense: |
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88% |
| Coverage: |
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76% |
| Zone: |
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70% |
| Man/Press: |
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78% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
2nd - Late
Overall Rank:
#58
Position rank:
#11 (DB)
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| College Games: 27 College Snaps: 1199 | ||
ESPN RATING: 82/100
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247 RATING: 96/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.9 (97%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Kevin Winston Jr. - Penn State |
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89% |
| Malaki Starks - Georgia |
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82% |
| Josh Proctor - Ohio State |
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80% |
Draft Profile: Bio
A two-way quarterback and defensive back at Connally in Waco, Texas, McDonald was the District 11-4A Offensive MVP after rushing for 852 yards and passing for 707 as a senior, and he committed to Texas at the All-American Bowl as a four-star.He appeared in twelve games as a freshman in 2023, then worked into the secondary in 2024, starting four games and recording 33 tackles with an interception. He took over as a full-time safety in 2025.
McDonald opened the season by forcing a turnover in three straight games, with a fumble recovery against San Jose State and interceptions against UTEP and Sam Houston. He finished with 69 tackles, three interceptions and two breakups, settling in as a versatile chess piece in the Texas defense. He started all thirteen games at safety and added eighteen run stops in his first full year as a starter.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Best-in-class tackling, charged with only five misses on heavy volume
- Run support is excellent, a downhill force near the line
- Sudden top-end speed with the range to close on throws
- Piled up eighty-seven tackles across box, slot, and deep alignments
- Forced a takeaway three times, including a pick at Mississippi State
- Triggers downhill fast and finishes ball carriers cleanly
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Smoother in zone than mirroring in man and run-game work
- Interception total is solid rather than elite for the snaps
- Coverage in space lags the box and run-support production
- Deep-third reps are fewer than his downhill snaps
Scouting Report: Summary
McDonald is a downhill thumper with rare speed, a safety whose tackling was among the best in the class and whose sets a firm edge and finishes in the run game near the line. He piled up eighty-seven tackles across box, slot, and deep alignments, took the ball away three times including a pick at Mississippi State, and triggers downhill fast to finish ball carriers cleanly. The speed, the run defense, and the sure tackling are a projectable three-down base, and he returns as a senior leader.The coverage detail is the development area. His more comfortable in zone than in trail-man and run-game work, his three interceptions are solid rather than elite for the snaps, and his coverage in space lags the box and run-support production. His deep-third reps are fewer than his downhill snaps. He is a run-and-hit safety whose pass coverage in space has to catch up to the physical, downhill strengths.
He profiles as a starting strong safety who fits the run, tackles everything, and covers from the box and slot, a Day 2 contributor with three-down upside as the deep coverage rounds out. The man-coverage and range limits keep the grade measured, but the speed and the production are bankable. He grades as a physical, downhill safety with a high floor and starter traits.
How other scouting services rate Jelani McDonald (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
59.0
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
10.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.