On Saturday, Apr. 25, former Ohio State running back De’carlo (C.J.) Donaldson Jr. signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent. Donaldson played Varsity Football for the Raiders from his sophomore through his senior year. As a wide receiver, Donaldson recorded a total of 1,936 yards with 24 touchdowns.
“Coming to Gulliver was a decision that benefitted me both on and off the field,” Donaldson said in an interview with the Raider Voice in 2020. “I’m very thankful for everyone who helped me get here.”
After a breakout senior season with 1,164 receiving yards, 13 touchdowns, and a three-star ranking, NCAA powerhouses such as the University of Florida, the University of Miami, Ole Miss, FSU, and Tulane all recruited him. However, on Apr. 21 2021, he committed to play at Tulane. Soon after his commitment, he decommitted and signed with the West Virginia Mountaineers.
“So [when he decommitted from Tulane], we were talking to some other schools who still had questions. Florida ended up offering him as a tight end, but West Virginia wanted to know if he could block. After C.J. showed he could block in the very next game, they [West Virginia] offered him, and he committed,” Head Coach Earl Sims said.
In his three seasons with the Mountaineers, Donaldson made the switch to running back due to his physicality and power, and thrived. He had eight 100-yard rushing games, along with eight multi-touchdown performances. As a Freshman, he was the second-leading rusher for WVU and a season-high eight touchdowns, all while missing five games after sustaining a season-ending lower leg injury. In his Mountaineer career, he combined for 23 touchdowns and over 1,500 rushing yards.
Below are some of his most notable accolades during this period:
Freshman Season:
- Made his Mountaineer debut at Pitt, rushing for a career-high 125 yards on seven carries with his first career touchdown
- Ranked No. 8 in the Big 12 in rushing touchdowns (8) and was No. 9 in total touchdowns (8)
- 2022 All-Big 12 Honorable Mention
- Academic All-Big 12 Conference Rookie Team
Sophomore Season:
- Academic All-Big 12 Conference Second Team
- All-Big 12 Conference Honorable-Mention Honoree (Coaches)
- Played in 12 games and started nine
- Tied for No. 5 in the Big 12 and No. 39 nationally in rushing touchdowns
- Ranked No. 8 in the Big 12 in touchdowns and No. 10 in rushing yards
- Scored a touchdown in nine straight games during the season and in 10 of 13 games
Junior Season:
- TD total that ranks seventh all-time at WVU
- Named to the 2024 preseason Doak Walker Award watch list, recognizing top running backs in college football
- Helped West Virginia become bowl eligible and played a major role in key wins
While he didn’t receive any All-American honors after his junior year, he was widely respected as a top power-back in the Big-12, leading him to enter the transfer portal going into his senior season. This attracted the Ohio State University, coming off a national title. The decision was a quick one, committing to the Buckeyes just four days after entering the portal. With the Buckeyes, Donaldson dominated at the goal-line, using his physicality to score 10 rushing touchdowns. Although losing in the second round of the College Football Playoffs, Donaldson’s productive season put his name on NFL scouts’ radars.
“There were a lot of teams that were interested in C.J. I guess they forgot that he played receiver all his life and transitioned into running back once he was in college, so a lot of the time, teams and scouts were impressed with his pass-catching ability. Going into the draft, he mentioned there were six teams in particular that were keeping in contact with him; he knew he would end up somewhere, he just wanted to prove that he deserved to be there,” Assistant Coach Green said.
After a mixed combine performance demonstrating his ability as a strong power-back, he was projected as a late third-day pick. Even though Donaldson went undrafted, he signed a free-agent contract with the New Orleans Saints, completing his long journey to the pros.
The Saints have a crowded backfield, making a roster spot uncertain, but rookie minicamps and OTAs will determine his future in the NFL.
