Donovan Mathena holds the MLB · Backup spot in Memphis Tigers’s linebacker room. Where he sits among the room’s front-line roles:

Donovan Mathena is a 6'0", 235-pound middle linebacker from Collierville, Tennessee, where he attended Collierville High School. He redshirted in 2022 with the Tigers squad that won the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl. During his 2023 redshirt freshman season, Memphis went 10-3 and defeated Iowa State in the AutoZero Liberty Bowl; Mathena appeared in 12 games and recorded four tackles, including a season-high three stops against Charlotte. In 2024, he appeared in 12 games as the 11-2 Tigers defeated West Virginia in the Scooter's Coffee Frisco Bowl, posting one tackle versus UTSA. Mathena currently carries a redshirt senior classification for 2026.