Prior to transferring to Calgary in 2018, he attended and played one season for the University of Maine Black Bears of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) in 2017.
[4] He committed to attend and play college football at the University of Maine over offers from British Columbia, Calgary, Regina, Western, Manitoba, Buffalo, and North Dakota.
[5] McDonald entered his freshman season for the Maine Black Bears as a tight end, a new position at which he had never played previously.
During the Black Bears' 2017 season, he appeared in nine games with the majority of his playing time coming on special teams, where he recorded seven tackles and a forced fumble.
[5] Following his freshman season at Maine, McDonald transferred to the University of Calgary in Alberta, where joined his older brother, Jack, a wide receiver, on the Dinos football team in the Canada West Conference.
[6] In his first career playoff game, he recorded a team-high nine tackles in the Dino's Canada West semifinal victory over Manitoba.
[8] After going 6–2 in the regular season, the Dinos won four playoff games en route to becoming Vanier Cup champions after their victory over the Montreal Carabins.
In his professional football and CFL debut, he registered his best game of his rookie campaign, making four tackles on special teams against the Ottawa Redblacks.
After two seasons of professional football McDonald announced his retirement with the intention of pursuing a career as a fire fighter in his home province of British Columbia.
[17] McDonald's father, Bruce, played CIAU football at the University of British Columbia, where he was a starting defensive back for five seasons, and was also drafted in the CFL.