Donaldson is a throwback goal-line hammer who converts short-yardage situations with his 6-2, 230-pound frame and punishing contact balance. He scored 40 career rushing touchdowns across four college seasons, and every coaching staff he played for trusted him inside the five — that's not an accident. The limitations are real, though: he lacks breakaway speed, generated almost no explosive plays at Ohio State (one run over 15 yards all season), and his 3.8 YPC behind one of the best offensive lines in college football is a red flag. He's a roster-bubble power back whose NFL path runs through special teams value, pass protection reliability, and carving out a Kareem Hunt-style short-yardage role off the bench.
- Elite goal-line and short-yardage touchdown production: 40 career rushing TDs, scored 10+ in three consecutive seasons
- Powerful frame (6-2, 230) with plus contact balance — absorbs hits and drives the pile for positive yardage consistently
- Reliable pass protector who was trusted to pick up blitzes at Ohio State behind one of the nation's best QBs
- Former TE recruit with latent receiving upside — 40 career receptions and soft hands for his size
- Alarming lack of explosive plays: just one run longer than 15 yards in his entire senior season at Ohio State
- Below-average timed speed for the position (estimated 4.64 forty), limiting his ability to threaten outside or on second-level runs
- 3.8 YPC at Ohio State suggests limited ability to create behind a dominant offensive line — vision or burst questions persist
- Underwhelming East-West Shrine Bowl performance (18 yards on 8 touches) did nothing to change the late-round/UDFA narrative
Similar physical profile — big-bodied, downhill power back who scores touchdowns inside the five but lacks the burst to be a featured runner. NFL role will be defined entirely by goal-line and short-yardage efficiency.