Ray McDonald attended Glades Central High School in Bell Glade, Florida where he played defensive end on the football team. Ray helped the team to a state championship as a junior. As a senior he totaled 132 tackles and 24 sacks on his way to county defensive player of the year honors. He was considered to be one of the top 15 defensive ends in the nation. He accepted a scholarship at the University of Florida where he sat out the 2002 season as a redshirt. He moved from defensive end to defensive tackle the following spring, earning a starting job before it was over. He starting 12 games, missing the Florida State contest, and totaled 54 tackles, 4 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles on the season. He was named to various all-freshman teams following the season. Ray started 11 games as a sophomore, missing just the Middle Tennessee State game. He finished the season with 39 tackles and 3 sacks. He was named SEC defensive player of the week following his 7 tackle performance against Florida State. Ray moved to defensive end prior to his junior season. He started the first three contests before suffering a knee injury. He returned for two games later on in the year before having season ending surgery on his knee. He finished the season with 8 tackles and a sack. He returned to total 36 tackles and 3 sacks as a senior. He also blocked a kick and returned a fumble for a touchdown.

Ray McDonald has a versatile player with a ton of experience against top competition, having started at both defensive end and defensive tackle for the Florida Gators in the SEC over the past four years. He is a hard worker with a good combination of size and athleticism for a defensive lineman. He has a quick first step, which allows him to beat most offensive linemen off the snap. He gets good penetration and makes a lot of plays in the backfield. He is a very good run stopper and a solid tackler who can also get pressure on the quarterback. Though he is a solid pass rusher, McDonald lacks great straight line speed and he doesn’t put up big sack numbers. His injury history could be a cause for concern since he had ACL surgery on both knees in 2005. This is something that will definitely be checked out at the combine. Since he was injured the majority of the 2005 season, McDonald only has one full year of experience at defensive end (2006). He is a bit of a “tweener” who could project at end or tackle depending on what scheme he ends up in. If he does make the move inside to tackle, he may need to add some bulk to his frame. He is a player with some upside and his versatility should work in his favor on draft day.