McDonald is a 1999 graduate of Shadow Mountain High School in Phoenix and was a 1999 Honorable Mention All-America by USA Today. He also earned All-state honors as a kick return specialist and all-conference as a wide receiver and kick specialist as a junior. He was a three-year starter and had five kickoff returns for touchdowns as a senior before missing one-third of his senior season with a broken fibula. As a senior, he had 800 yards receiving, 1,700 all-purpose yards, added seven kick returns for touchdown, and averaged 46 yards per kick return. As a junior, he returned four kickoffs of 90 yards or longer for touchdowns. He still holds the state record for most kickoff returns for touchdowns with 14. He lettered three times in football and four times each in soccer and track and field. McDonald also scored a goal and assisted on another in winning the state championship in soccer.
College career
McDonald played his college football at Arizona State University. All-American third-team selection by The NFL Draft Report, Associated Press and The Sporting News…All-Pac-10 Conference first-team choice…Finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, given to the nation’s top receiver…Set school season-records with 87 catches for 1405 yards and 13 touchdowns, topping the previous marks of 64 receptions by Ron Fair and 1144 yards by Morris Owens …Only Doug Allen had more touchdowns in a season for the Sun Devils…Added 25 yards on five carries and 29 yards on two punt returns …Gained over 100 yards receiving in five contests. Nebraska…Gained 73 yards on 7 grabs. Central Florida…Caught 5 passes for 54 yards and 3 scores. San Diego State…Had 8 receptions for 175 yards and touchdowns of 72, 33, 29 & 16 yards…His four scoring catches equaled the school record that he holds with John Allen. Stanford…Gained 221 yards on 10 catches, including a 27-yard touchdown…Only Eric Guliford and Ron Fair gained more yards receiving in a game for the Sun Devils. North Carolina…Had 8 receptions for 156 yards. Oregon…Caught a career-high 12 passes for 204 yards and a 67-yard score…Only Ron Fair had more catches in a game for ASU. Washington…Made 3 catches for 50 yards and a 15-yard touchdown. California…Caught 6 passes for 138 yards with 68 & 28-yard scores. Southern California…Gained 73 yards on 4 catches, including a 24-yard touchdown and returned 2 punts for 29 yards. Kansas State …Had 10 catches for 96 yards. 2001 SEASON All-Pac-10 Conference first-team choice…Played in every game, starting eight contests… Led the team with 47 receptions for 1104 yards and ten touchdowns…Rushed four times for 8 yards and a score…Also returned three kickoffs for 52 yards. Stanford…Made two catches for 95 yards and a 68-yard score. San Jose State…Had 3 receptions for 76 yards and a 50-yard touchdown…Also caused a fumble on special teams. Louisiana-Lafayette…Tied a school game-record with four touchdowns, finishing with 5 catches for 154 yards. Southern California…Scored on a 6-yard reverse. Oregon State…Caught 5 passes for 123 yards and a 63-yard touchdown. Washington…Had a season-high 9 catches for 194 yards and a 33-yard score. Oregon…Amassed 103 yards on 5 receptions. Washington State…Gained over 100 yards receiving for the fourth-straight game as he totaled 169 yards on 5 catches, including a 40-yard touchdown. 2000 SEASON Played in every game, starting vs. Washington and Arizona…Caught 22 passes for 358 yards and a touchdown…Returned 28 punts for 269 yards and a score…Added 42 yards on three kickoff returns. California…Had two receptions for 122 yards and scored on a 68-yard catch. Southern California…Caught 4 passes for 45 yards and returned a punt 81 yards for a score. Boston College …Gained 61 yards on 4 catches. 1999 SEASON Redshirted as a freshman.
Professional career
Pre-draft
McDonald measured 5'9" and 174 pounds and ran a 4.34 40-yard dash at his ASU pro day.
The St Louis Rams made McDonald the 106th pick in the 2003 NFL Draft. At the end of the 2006 season, McDonald finished his career with the Rams with 106 catches for 1,215 yards and four touchdowns.
Detroit Lions
In the 2007 offseason, McDonald left the Rams and joined former Rams offensive coordinator Mike Martz with the Detroit Lions. That season, McDonald led the Lions in catches with 79, 943 yards, and touchdowns with six. In 2008, McDonald started seven of the 12 games in which he played and caught 35 passes for 332 yards and a touchdown.
Pittsburgh Steelers
McDonald was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers on May 1, 2009. He was waived on November 28 to make room for quarterbackTyler Palko who was signed off the practice squad. Year Team Rec Yds Yds/G Avg Lg TD 1st YAC Trgt 2003 St. Louis Rams 10 62 7.8 6.2 13 0 4 25 21 2004 St. Louis Rams 37 494 30.9 13.4 52 3 23 134 68 2005 St. Louis Rams 46 523 32.7 11.4 31 0 29 138 74 2006 St. Louis Rams 13 136 8.5 10.5 28 1 6 18 19 2007 Detroit Lions 79 943 58.9 11.9 49 6 46 253 127 2008 Detroit Lions 35 332 27.7 9.5 26 1 18 64 66 Totals: 220 2490 29.6 11.3 52 11 126 632.0 375
