Tyler Donaldson

Tyler Donaldson

Player Profile

Class:
Senior

Hometown:
Lawrenceville, Ga.

High School:
Central Gwinnett HS

Last College:
New Mexico Military Institute

Height / Weight:
6-4 / 226

Position:
Defensive End

Birthdate:
01/19/1985

Experience:
1L

Postseason Honors:
2nd team all-MWC ('06)

10/25/2007

Lobos Edge Falcons, 34-31

New Mexico 34, Air Force 31

09/23/2006

New Mexico vs. UTEP

PHOTO GALLERY

2007 PRESEASON HONORS

• 1st team all-MWC (Athlon, Blue Ribbon Yearbook, CBS Sportsline.com, CollegeFootballNews.com)
• 2nd team all-MWC (Lindy's)
• MWC's 26th-best player (CollegeFootballNews.com)

NEW MEXICO:

Third-year defensive end who earned second team all-MWC honors in 2006 - his first full season of gameday action at the Division I level...one of the quickest defensive linemen in the Mountain West Conference, using excellent speed and agility to knife around blockers in the Lobos' stunt-heavy scheme...versatile player who can man all three spots up front for New Mexico...15.0 career tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks in his first 19 starts over the past 2 seasons...transferred to UNM from the New Mexico Military Institute in January of 2005...showed flashes of ability during practice in `05 and made 3 tackles in the first two games before taking a medical redshirt season.

2007 (SENIOR): Turned in a tremendous first half of the season and is on pace for career-highs in every statistical category...midseason 1st team all-conference honoree (Phil Steele)...he and teammate Michael Tuohy have been one of the premier DE tandems in the MWC during the first half of the season...tied for 6th in the MWC with 6.0 tackles for loss (5 solo) and tied for 5th with 3.0 sacks (2 solo) in 6 starts...leads the UNM defensive linemen with 30 tackles, helping to lead the nation's No. 12 rushing defense...career-high 9 QB hurries and a 17-yard INT as well.

`07 HIGHLIGHTS:
at Wyoming...Credited for just 1 solo tackle, but did a nice job of getting penetration to force Cowboy ball carriers toward his teammates...Wyoming finished with just 48 rushing yards - 136 under its average...got a hand on Karsten Sween's 3rd quarter fumble, helping teammate Ian Clark walk into the end zone for a 2-yard score...also had a QB hurry.

vs. BYU...Part of an excellent performance by the Lobo defensive line, helping the defense hold the powerful Cougar offense 130 yards under its season average...got in on 7 tackles, teaming with fellow DE Michael Tuohy on a sack on the Cougars' first play from scrimmage, and stuffing powerful RB Manese Tonga for a 2-yard loss later in the quarter...also pressued QB Max Hall twice, including a big hit on the Cougar standout in the 2nd quarter.

vs. Sacramento State...Outstanding effort to help the defense record its first shutout in 5 years, while allowing just 104 yards of total offense - the fewest since 1983...team-high 8 tackles (6 solo), including another TFL, with none missed in just 3 quarters of play...also had a pass break-up when he hit the QB to force an incompletion, along with a career-high 3 hurries in pass rush.

vs. New Mexico State...Just 3 tackles playing on a sore ankle, but came up huge in critical situations to help the Lobos hold off the explosive Aggie offense...sacked Chase Holbrook for a 7-yard loss on 3rd-and-goal from the UNM 5 to force a FG and keep it a one possession game late in the 3rd quarter...later helped seal the UNM victory with his 17-yard INT in zone coverage...the Lobos scored 3 plays later to go ahead 44-27 with 2 minutes to play...also had a QB pressure.

at UTEP...Tremendous effort in the opener and was a force in both the pass rush and run defense...tallied 9 tackles - his best effort in 8 games - including 2.0 tackles for loss and a 10-yard sack...also credited for a QB hurry.

Preseason Honors...1st team all-MWC (Athlon, Blue Ribbon Yearbook, CBS Sportsline.com, CollegeFootballNews.com)...2nd team all-MWC (Lindy's)...MWC's 26th-best player (CollegeFootballNews.com).

2006 (REDSHIRT JUNIOR): Made a name for himself as one of the most active defensive linemen in the MWC, earning second team all-MWC honors in his first year as a starter (all 13 games)...was a consistent force throughout the season, teaming with fellow junior Michael Tuohy to form one of the top DE tandems in the league...led the team (5th MWC) with 5.0 sacks (all solo)...tied with Tuohy with a team-high 9.0 tackles for loss (8 solo, 2 assists), which was tied for 8th in the MWC...excelled in conference play, recording 6.5 TFL (T6th MWC) and 4.0 sacks (T3rd MWC) in 8 league games...also led the Lobo defensive linemen (4th on the team) with 49 tackles...also had a safety, 5 QB hurries, 3 pass break-ups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery on the year...began the year as the Lobos' starting nose tackle, before moving to his preferred position of DE.

`06 HIGHLIGHTS: New Mexico Bowl (vs. San Jose State)...Did a nice job against the run and also active in the pass rush...got in on 3 tackles to help the Lobo defense limit the Spartans to 87 yards rushing - nearly 100 under their regular season average - and also had 2 QB hurries...vs. TCU...Part of a sensational defensive performance against one of the league's most balanced offenses...just 2 tackles, but did a fine job of pursuit and diagnosing spread option plays to help the Lobos limit the Horned Frogs to a season-low 192 yards of total offense, nearly 200 under their season average...played a lot of nose tackle in the second half, neutralizing the Frogs' athletic linemen as TCU managed just 29 rushing yards (1.8 avg.) and 1 first down over the final 2 quarters...at Colorado State...Turned in one of his best games of the season, making a season-high 3 (2 solo, 1 assist) of his 4 tackles in the Ram backfield, including a pivotal 8-yard sack in the 4th quarter...chased down QB Caleb Hanie on a 3rd-and-4 play from the UNM 17-yard line...CSU missed a 42-yard FG on the next play, keeping the Lobos within 3 points of the lead...helped shut down the Ram running game, which finished with 37 yards on 26 attempts (1.4 avg.)...at UNLV...Another solid performance, recording 4 tackles, including one in the backfield, in 41 plays...unleashed a punishing hit to bring down scrambling QB Shane Steichen on a 3rd-and-long play and skied to deflect a screen pass at the line of scrimmage...vs. Wyoming...Career-high 10 tackles and 2 sacks to help lead a solid defensive effort...sacked and knocked the ball loose from Cowboy QB Karsten Sween, setting up a Lobo TD...at Air Force...Recorded 5 stops in a solid defensive effort against one of the nation's most challenging offenses...the Falcons finished with 281 yards of total offense, 107 under their season average...vs. UTEP...Credited for a safety and his first career sack when he shot through the middle to force QB Jordan Palmer into an intentional grounding penalty in the end zone on the first play of the 2nd quarter...UTEP had not allowed a sack all season entering the day...finished with 4 tackles on the day...at New Mexico State...Started at right DE for the first time and turned in another fine performance, finishing with 6 tackles...got in on a tackle for loss and recovered a fumble to set up a UNM FG...vs. Portland State...Excellent effort in his first career start at NT...recorded 4 tackles, deflected a pass and had two QB hurries...forced an incompletion on a 4th-and-7 play from the UNM 29 in the first quarter...played every snap against the Vikings' giant offensive line.

NMMI:

Racked up 120 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks and 2 interceptions in 10 games for the New Mexico Military Institute (Roswell, N.M.) in 2004...named first team all-Western States League for head coach John O'Mera...national defensive player of the week for his performance against Pima CC when he had 15 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, a sack and a caused fumble.

HIGH SCHOOL:

A 2003 graduate of Central Gwinnett HS in Lawrenceville, Ga...also lettered in wrestling.

PERSONAL:

Born Jan. 19, 1985, in Decatur, Ga...age is 22...full name is Ryan Tyler Donaldson...son of Ronnie and Kim Donaldson...has three brothers and sisters...major is History.

CAREER HIGHS:

Tackles: 10, vs. Wyoming (10/7/06). Tackles For Loss: 2.5, at Colorado State (10/27/06). Sacks: 2.0, vs. Wyoming (10/7/06). QB Hurries: 2, twice.
Translate site to spanish