Troy Linebacker Jayden McDonald Announces Transfer to Indiana

Linebacker Jayden McDonald is transferring to Indiana after making 190 career tackles across four seasons at Troy. He originally committed to Iowa in the class of 2018 as the Georgia High School Defensive Player of the Year.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Veteran linebacker Jayden McDonald announced his decision to transfer from Troy to Indiana Friday afternoon.

McDonald boasts four years of playing experience at Tory, plus a sit-out year and a redshirt season at Iowa in 2018.

McDonald, a 6-foot, 227-pound linebacker, fits Indiana coach Curt Cignetti's stated approach of adding transfers with a track record of production.

In 2023, he played all 13 games and led Troy with 75 tackles and 9.5 tackles for loss. He ranked 320th in the nation with a 67.4 defensive grade by Pro Football Focus. 

McDonald's junior season in 2022 was limited to 13 tackles due to injury, though he was a starter before being sidelined. He also suffered an injury during the 2021 season, but still finished ninth on the team with 36 tackles. In his first year at Troy in 2020, McDonald played all 11 games and finished second on the team with 67 tackles.

Troy linebacker Jayden McDonald rushes the Appalachian State passer / Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

Prior to Troy, McDonald originally committed to Iowa as a three-star recruit, ranked No. 779 overall in the class of 2018 out of North Gwinnett High School in Suwanee, Ga. He was named Georgia High School Defensive Player of the Year by Georgia High School Coaches Association as a senior.

McDonald spent one season at Iowa in 2018, but used a redshirt and did not play. Due to NCAA rules at the time, he had to sit out the 2019 season at Troy as a transfer. He joins the Hoosiers with one year of eligibility.

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