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Legit 4.3 speed, great route runner, pillow soft hands. He’s got it all.
Brett Kollman is one of my favorite film breakdown professionals - probably because he seems genuinely excited about every player he analyzes, and because he cusses a lot on his youtube videos. Kollman is intelligent and irreverent; he also seems to have a pretty good idea what he is talking about. That’s why I took notice when he posted this on Twitter this week:
Now that he’s on my team and none of my leaguemates can snipe me...for the love of god PLEASE draft Terry McLaurin in all of your dynasty leagues folks.
— Brett Kollmann (@BrettKollmann) August 1, 2019
I’d bet that kid is their WR1 by Thanksgiving. Legit 4.3 speed, great route runner, pillow soft hands. He’s got it all.
“Legit 4.3 speed, great route runner, pillow soft hands. He’s got it all.”
That’s an endorsement if I’ve ever seen one!
You know who else likes Terry McLaurin? Jay Gruden.
Jay was asked in Saturday’s press conference if he thought that it had been important to Terry McLaurin’s development to have former Ohio State teammate Dwayne Haskins in camp with him.
“Well I think you flip that. I think it’s important for Dwayne to have Terry here. Terry’s awesome, he’s been great. He knows all the spots already. Very detailed at what he does, very explosive and [he has] good hands. So I think you talk about the character of the guy, you’re talking about a two-year captain at Ohio State. You know you got a great character kid already, so that’s not an issue. Very smart and very fast and very physical. So he’s, knock on wood he’s been outstanding so far.”
For a rookie in his second week of a Jay Gruden training camp, this comment is a grand-slam home run. This isn’t just a comment on precise route running, or a generalized statement about a guy who is ‘very intelligent and a hard worker’.
This is a head first dive into total endorsement of a rookie third-round draft pick.
This is a head coach setting sky-high expectations for a player he expects to deliver.
What particularly impressed me was that Jay chose to say that in the Haskins-McLaurin relationship, it was Haskins who was benefiting from the presence of his friend and long-time teammate.
Watching Jay talk about Terry McLaurin, it was impossible not to get excited about, not only the receiver’s long-term potential, but also his immediate future. Terry McLaurin is showing the coaching staff what they want to see.
You know who else has good things to say about Terry McLaurin? Washington’s own $84m man - safety Landon Collins.
Asked which offensive players he had been most impressed with in his time with the Redskins, Collins didn’t hesitate:
“I would say Jordan Reed and Terry McLaurin, definitely those two. Reed is just one of those guys that has the options to do whatever he wants and he gets open. He’s going to catch the ball and go get any ball. Same thing with Terry. He has the ability to just run past anybody. His speed, we haven’t had a speed receiver out there in a minute. From that standpoint, he can beat anybody deep and he’s showing his versatility by going to get any ball that’s in the air.”
With the opportunity to pick out anyone at all from the offensive side of the ball, Collins talked about Jordan Reed (no surprise there), and newcomer and rookie Terry McLaurin.
Ya think Scary Terry has been turning some heads?!
Watch as McLaurin makes defensive back Josh Norman feel like he’s defending a Marvel superhero with a stutter, go-route down the sideline to fetch a touchdown throw from Case Keenum.
Keenum QB. Norman playing off coverage. Bites up hard on McLaurin double move. Great sell. Good route. #Redskins pic.twitter.com/4CHtkwhjAa
— Paul Conner (@P_ConnerJr) July 26, 2019
Next, watch McLaurin sell a post-route only to break it off to the corner and again get separation for an easy touchdown pass from Colt McCoy.
McCoy to McLaurin. pic.twitter.com/J5WFMO8osN
— michael phillips (@michaelpRTD) July 25, 2019
Let’s go back in time to February, before the draft — back to a time when Terry McLaurin was just one more guy entering the NFL draft.
Let’s see what our resident college evaluator Gabe Ward had to say about Terry McLaurin.
Terry McLaurin may have had the lowest yardage totals out of all the starting Ohio State receivers this year but there is a solid argument to be made that he is the most pro ready. McLaurin has flashed pro ready qualities all year from his catch ability and mechanics, to his body control, his speed and athleticism are certainly always in display, and what sets him apart from a lot of prospects is his route running ability.
McLaurin put these qualities on full display at the Senior Bowl and had a lot of media folks buzzing about him.
He’s been praised for his ability to quickly learn and be coached as well and his desire to lead. Urban Meyer loved him and praised his consistency and effort as well.
Wide receivers are often dubbed divas but McLaurin has always understood that the team comes first. In addition to his duties on offense he was an integral part of Ohio State’s punt coverage team. To put the cherry on top he really takes pride in his blocking and has worked to improve his body not only for himself but so that he can better spring his teammates when they come his way.
He’s a mature young man with all the qualities and intangibles you could want in a receiver.
How He Would Fit On The Redskins
I’ve watched at least 6 Ohio State games this season and I knew McLaurin was underrated but after digging in and focusing solely on him rather than the OSU offense as a whole I came away even more impressed.
If he wasn’t so big I would have compared him to Brandon Cooks as that’s who he really reminds me of in terms of playing style. A slightly undersized but tough receiver who can be featured in offenses and work all over the field. He has the skills to take the top off (he says he can run the 40 in 4.35) and checks all the boxes as far as technical ability.
While his teammates Campbell and Hill rightfully get their shine, could it be that its just because McLaurin got the mouse’s share in that offense? Every time I watch him I lean towards that sentiment as I think there is a solid argument that McLaurin is better than both of them overall.
How could the Redskins not need a player like this? Speed, hands, athleticism, consistency, leadership and more.
Hell if anyone wanted him I would suggest trading Paul Richardson and drafting McLaurin to replace him. That’s not likely to happen but McLaurin is well worth a 2nd round pick price and worth the effort to incorporate him into the offense.
Remember that all this praise for McLaurin came, not after he’d been drafted as a Redskin, but 2 or 3 months before the draft when Gabe was spending all his spare time watching film of potential draft prospects.
When it came to the instant reaction to McLaurin being drafted by the Redskins, Tyler’s Take was published on April 29th:
McLaurin’s teammate Parris Campbell may have stolen some of the headlines at Ohio St., but many draft experts thought McLaurin was the best draftable wide receiver on the Buckeyes. At almost 6’1” and 208 pounds, McLaurin showcased his talents as one of the top pass catchers in Mobile at the Senior Bowl. He followed that up with a combine performance that saw him clock a 4.35 40, vertical jump 37.5 inches, and put up 18 reps at 225 pounds. His on-field work was stellar, and his draft stock began to rise.
Some draft experts had McLaurin going in the later part of round two, but when he was on the clock for the Redskins in round three, it was a very easy decision. Not only is McLaurin fast, but he’s a very advanced route runner, physical after the catch, an excellent blocker, and a special teams demon. He is a lead-by-example type player who by all accounts is a consummate professional on and off the field.
Tyler’s Take: Very solid pick! This is a guy who has the chance to develop into a very good all-around receiver, and special teams ace. He’s a do-it-all type of guy who should be a great leader on this team for years to come. Plus, he and Haskins already have chemistry.
It seems to be unanimous! Gabe Ward saw Terry McLaurin as a receiver who ‘has it all’ in his pre-draft evaluation. Mark Tyler praised his measurables, his potential and his all around skills immediately after the Redskins drafted McLaurin. Landon Collins put Terry McLaurin on the same level as Jordan Reed in terms of what he is capable of in the Redskins offense, and head coach Jay Gruden talks about Terry as if he is a coach’s wet dream.
Scary Terry McLaurin, taken in the third round of this year’s draft, appears to have the brightest of futures in Washington!
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