Cooper McDonald Season 2022

HONORS
* 2023 SDSU Presidential Academic Award
* 2022 Mountain West Scholar-Athlete
* 2022 Mountain West Fall All-Academic Team
* 2021 Pac-12 Fall Academic Honor Roll

Joined the Aztecs in January for the 2022 spring season ... Had two years of experience in the Pac-12 (Washington), having played in 15 of the 16 games in 2020 and 2021 with 10 starts ... Younger brother of Colton (who played at North Texas) and Caden (three-time first-team all-Mountain West linebacker (2020-22) at San Diego State) ... Is slated to start at “Sam” linebacker.

SENIOR SEASON (2023)
Was named a preseason second-team all-Mountain West selection by Phil Steele Magazine, and a third-team pick by Pro Football Focus and Athlon Sports ... Entered the season listed as the 63rd draft-eligible outside linebacker by Phil Steele Magazine ... Started all 12 games this season ... Made 43 tackles (19 solo), including 4.0 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks ... Also had 11 quarterback hurries and three pass breakups ... Started and played 66 of the team’s 87 defensive snaps against Ohio on Aug. 26, finishing with three tackles (two solo), including 0.5 sacks (and 0.5 TFL), and three quarterback hurries ... Played 63 of the team’s 87 defensive snaps in his second start of the season against Idaho State on Sept. 2 ... Recorded two tackles, one being a 4-yard sack, as well as his first pass breakup of the season ... Also had two quarterback hurries ... Got the start against UCLA on Sept. 9, logging 54 snaps, the third-most among Aztec defenders for the game ... Totaled three tackles (one solo) as well as his second pass breakup of the year ... Made the start at No. 16/17 Oregon State on Sept. 16 ... Assisted on two tackles on 55 defensive snaps and added a pass breakup ... Logged 56 snaps starting in the conference opener against Boise State on Sept. 22 ... Recorded a then season-high six tackles (five solo) ... His six tackles were second most by an Aztec in the game ... Also had two quarterback hurries ... Logged 39 defensive snaps at Air Force on Sept. 30 ... Recorded a pair of assisted tackles ... Recorded two tackles (one solo) at Hawai’i on Oct. 14 ... Also had two quarterback hurries ... Logged 52 defensive snaps in his start against Nevada on Oct. 21 ... Tied for second most tackles on the team with seven (two solo) ... His seven tackles set a season-high and matched his career-high ... Also assisted on a TFL, giving him 2.0 for the season and 12.5 in his career ... Registered a quarterback hurry ... Tied for second-most tackles on the team against Utah State on Nov. 4 ... Totaled a career-best eight tackles (three solo), including 1.0 tackles for loss ...  Had a TFL for four yards in the fourth quarter which led to the blocked punt to setup the Aztecs game-tying drive ... Had two tackles in a start at Colorado State on Nov. 11 ... Recorded two tackles (one solo) at San Jose State on Nov. 18 ... Also had his fourth tackle for loss for two yards in the third quarter, and a quarterback hurry ... Made three tackles (two solo) in the season finale against Fresno State on Nov. 25.

JUNIOR SEASON (2022)
Was a preseason fourth-team all-Mountain West selection by Athlon Sports ... Also was a “SDSU player to watch” by Lindy’s Sports ... Had 41 tackles (26 solo) in six starts and 12 games, including two sacks, five tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries, two pass breakups and eight quarterback hurries ... Tied for 22nd in FBS with two fumble recoveries (T-3rd in MW) ... According to Pro Football Focus, he tied for ninth in the Mountain West in quarterback hits (7) ... Earned the start in the opener against Arizona on Sept. 3, where he made six tackles (three solo), including a 3-yard tackle for loss, and a quarterback hurry in 58 snaps ... Made two solo tackles in another start vs. Idaho State on Sept. 10 across 49 snaps ... Had a solo stop in a start at No. 14/15 Utah on Sept. 17, playing 43 snaps ... Came up with four tackles (three solo), his first career fumble recovery and two quarterback hurries vs. Toledo on Sept. 24, starting and playing in 57 snaps ... Had five tackles (four solo) and a pass breakup in start over 49 defensive snaps at Boise State on Sept. 30 ... Logged an assisted tackle (0.5 TFL) and recovered a fumble at the end of the game in 40 defensive snaps vs. Hawai’i on Oct. 8, while adding a quarterback hurry ... Came off the bench for the first time of the season at Nevada, but did not find the stat sheet in 35 snaps ... Had a big game off the bench in 45 snaps at Fresno State on Oct. 29, making six tackles (five solo) with a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry ... Had a career-high seven tackles (four solo) with 0.5 tackles for loss in just 33 snaps off the bench against UNLV on Nov. 5 ... Had a career-high-tying and a team-high seven tackles against San José State on Nov. 12 in just 32 snaps, including a career-high two tackles for loss and his second career sack ... Led the team in tackles for the first time of his career ... Also had a pair of quarterback hurries ... Had two tackles, including a 7-yard sack (and TFL), with a quarterback hurry at New Mexico on Nov. 18, playing 27 snaps in a reserve role ... Played 11 statless snaps off the bench vs. Air Force on Nov. 26 ... Missed the Hawai‘i Bowl game against Middle Tennessee on Dec. 24.

AT WASHINGTON (2020-21)
Comes to The Mesa after playing the last two years at Washington … Played in all 16 games in his two seasons, starting 10 times … Played in all 12 games in 2021 with 10 starts … Logged 25 tackles (18 solo) with a sack … Had a season-high six tackles against UCLA on Oct. 16 … His lone sack came in the 2021 opener vs. Montana … Saw action in all four games during his true freshman season in 2020, logging two tackles (one solo) and a pass breakup.

AT NORTHWEST HIGH
Lettered three years at Northwest High School … Was named to the Dallas Morning News all-area first team as a senior in 2019 … Also was the District 4-5A Division II defensive MVP and honorable mention all-state ... Had 89 tackles, eight tackles for loss and a defensive score to go along with 13 carries for 99 yards and two touchdowns in 2019 … Was named to the all-District 4-5A Division 2 first team at outside linebacker as a junior in 2018 and was also honorable mention 5A all-state ... Ranked as the nation's No. 36 inside linebacker by 247Sports ... Also was a member of the Northwest track & field team, participating as a sprinter and in both the shot put and discus throw ... Won the 5A state title in the discus in 2019, with a throw of 178 feet, 11 inches, and finished third in the state meet as a sophomore in 2018 ... Was a consensus three-star recruit by 247sports, Rivals and ESPN … Received a scout grade of 75 from ESPN.

PERSONAL
Son of Mike and Jill McDonald ... Is the younger brother of Aztec senior captain linebacker Caden McDonald and former North Texas linebacker Colton McDonald … Picked Washington out of high school over offers from San Diego State, Utah, Baylor, Colorado, Virginia, Air Force, Louisiana, SMU, Arkansas State, Army West Point, Tulsa, UTSA, North Texas, Texas State, Louisiana Tech, Louisiana Monroe, Rice, Tulane, Dartmouth, Florida International, Liberty and Yale.

SINGLE-GAME BESTS
Tackles: 8 vs. Utah State (11/4/23)
Tackles For Loss: 2.0 vs. San José State (11/12/22)
Sacks: 1.0, four times
Pass Breakups: 1, six times
Fumble Recoveries: 1 vs. Hawai’i (10/8/22), vs. Toledo (9/24/22)