On Saturday night, the Texas Longhorns continued their winning ways with a comeback win over LSU. While Arch Manning provided the heroics with a touchdown pass in the final seconds, his performance was not the one that stood out. Against a top-25 opponent, defensive back Jelani McDonald had his best game of the season.
The Texas native recorded 11 tackles, which tied for the most on the team with Rasheem Biles. The veteran star also recorded three interceptions, etching his way into the history books. McDonald's three interceptions tied for the second-most in a game in program history. They were the most since Aaron Humphrey recorded three picks against Rutgers in 1997.
Jelani McDonald's 3 INTs are tied for the 2nd-most in a game in UT history
(UT Record: 4, Bill Bradley vs Texas A&M, 1968) and the most since Aaron Humphrey registered 3 picks against Rutgers in 1997. McDonald is the first SEC player to intercept 3 passes in a game since 2020🤘🏻 https://t.co/9ahEL5KoYB
— John Bianco (@UT_Bianco) November 15, 2026
While the Longhorns got contribution from everyone on the roster, McDonald kept the game within reach before the Texas offense came alive. One of his picks came in the rezone and he kept LSU off the board as Manning struggled for the majority of the game.
Through ten games, McDonald has 78 total tackles and five pass deflections. He also set a new career high with four interceptions, and he still has time to add to that total with two games left in the regular season. While the Longhorns defense has dealt with injuries all season, McDonald has been a model of consistency.
WHAT AWARENESS FROM JELANI MCDONALD @InsideTexas pic.twitter.com/Lqhb9NWDQT
— Nash (@NashTalksTexas) November 15, 2026
With the NFL Draft just a few months away, McDonald is expected to hear his name called. During his Longhorns career, McDonald has recorded 193 total tackles and eight interceptions. He also added nine pass deflections to his resume and has gotten better every year. That should draw the interest of plenty of NFL teams.
With the Longhorns chasing a national title, McDonald will be a key piece, and on Saturday, he showed why with his best performance so far.
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This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: DB Jelani McDonald shines in the Longhorns win over LSU
