5 reasons to be excited about Terry McLaurin getting drafted by Washington

The Redskins new quarterback Dwayne Haskins had some weapons on offense at Ohio State, with three Buckeye receivers entering the NFL Draft this year. Terry McLaurin is the latest member of the Scarlet and Gray to hear his name called by an NFL franchise, as the Washington Redskins selected the wideout with the No. 76 pick in the draft, where he will link up with his college quarterback.

McLaurin could prove to be a huge value pick for Washington. Lets take a look at five reasons why fans of the Skins should be excited about their new wide receiver.

1. Four years of experience in two different offenses

McLaurin just finished his senior season at Ohio State, playing for four years in Urban Meyer’s evolving system. After starting out as just a special teams guy in his first year, McLaurin was mostly used as a blocker in his second season as the Buckeyes focused on more of a ground-and-pound offense headed by Ezekiel Elliot. However, with Haskins at the helm in 2018, Ohio State changed to more of an air-raid style of offense, allowing McLaurin to showcase his skills as a true wide receiver. As a senior, McLaurin put up over 700 yards receiving with 11 touchdowns, the second-most receiving touchdowns on the team, while showing off his excellent hands.

2. He fast

As is the case with all of Ohio State’s wide receivers in the draft, Terry McLaurin showcases dominant speed. He ran an official 4.35 40-time at the NFL combine — the fifth fastest among all wideouts. On top of his impressive speed, McLaurin put even more of his athleticism on display at the combine when he put up 18 reps on the bench press — tying for eighth best among receivers.

3. He takes pride in his ability as a blocker

One of the most impressive things about McLaurin is how much of an impact he can have on the field without the ball in his hands. McLaurin was hands down the best blocking receiver at Ohio State last season, laying the groundwork for his teammates to pick up huge gains seemingly every single week. Urban Meyer always made it a rite of passage for his receivers to also become effective blockers, and McLaurin seemingly took it to heart. Coming from a team that threw a ton of screen passes and outside runs, McLaurin is an experienced, big-time player in the blocking department.

4. He is a special teams ace

While some may have (wrongly) questioned McLaurin’s skillset as a wide receiver, nobody on the planet has ever doubted him as a special teams ace. McLaurin may be one of the most dominant gunners in the game. He possesses a lethal combination of open-field tackling, closing speed and the ability to get off blocks that makes him the ideal player to have out there on the punting unit. McLaurin was easily the best special teamer at Ohio State, and he took the job just as seriously as he did his role as a starting wideout. At the very least, McLaurin will be a consistent NFL wide receiver with star talent on special teams.

5. He is an excellent leader

As one of three seniors in Ohio State’s wide receiver room, McLaurin was largely responsible for leading an incredibly deep and talented group. McLaurin was an excellent role model for the younger guys on the team with his positive attitude and focus on the little things. His pursuit to perfect his blocking, special teams play, route running and all the other areas of the game that don’t appear on the stat sheet set a great example for the underclassmen on the team. McLaurin was able to illustrate to this teammates what it takes to become a successful player at Ohio State, and he will look to continue that success in the NFL.