There's no doubt the Washington Commanders got a steal when Terry McLaurin fell into their laps at No. 76 overall in the 2019 NFL Draft. The wide receiver quickly established himself as a productive playmaker and locker-room leader. He's the model of consistency despite having no stable quarterback to call upon. Hopefully, that's about to change after the franchise took Jayden Daniels with the No. 2 overall selection this spring.
McLaurin is a team alpha. He's someone others look to for inspiration. The wideout is constantly striving for greatness and is always demanding nothing but the best from his players. Even as another season spiraled into the abyss in 2023, the former Ohio State star kept the same mindset as others checked out completely.
One of the things that caught Washington's eye with McLaurin was speed. He was dynamic throughout his time with the Buckeyes without the consistency attached. Something he put on full display throughout his pre-draft assessments to get people talking.
McLaurin is an Indiana native who quickly rose to football prominence at Cathedral High School. He won the state's Mr. Football Award in 2013 and was a four-star rated recruit by 247 Sports. After considering multiple offers, the wideout opted to join Ohio State.
His first two seasons came with almost no prominent involvement. McLaurin began to impose himself over his final two years, accumulating 75 receptions for 1,251 receiving yards. What caught the eye of NFL scouts was the 19 touchdowns in that span.
Although not considered among the top wide receiver prospects during the 2019 draft, McLaurin's performance during testing at the NFL Scouting Combine propelled him into consideration. This was thanks in no small part to his dazzling display of explosiveness in the 40-yard dash.
Analyzing Terry McLauurin's 40-yard dash performance
All eyes were on McLaurin as he geared up to cement his status as a Day 2 selection in Indianapolis. He did his draft stock no harm at all by recording a 4.35-second time in the 40-yard dash - one of seven wideouts in this class to run a sub-4.40. This made league personnel sit up and take notice, which is always the biggest challenge for prospects going under the radar compared to others.
Looking at the footage, one could make a strong case for McLaurin's time being much better had he gotten up into his running stance a little later. His 10-yard split time came in at 1.45 seconds, which contributed significantly to the player's 96 overall athleticism score at the combine. This was third-best among all wide receiver hopefuls.
This explosiveness and ability to gain rapid speed quickly is something that the Commanders took note of. They thought he was good value at the time. McLaurin's four-straight seasons of more than 1,000 receiving yards vindicated their decision in no uncertain terms.
Player | School | 40 time | Draft rank |
|---|---|---|---|
Parris Campbell | Ohio State | 4.31 seconds | No. 59 overall |
Andy Isabella | Massachusetts | 4.31 seconds | No. 62 overall |
Mecole Hardman | Georgia | 4.33 seconds | No. 56 overall |
D.K. Metcalf | Ole Miss | 4.33 seconds | No. 64 overall |
Terry McLaurin | Ohio State | 4.35 seconds | No. 76 overall |
Emanuel Hall | Missouri | 4.39 seconds | Undrafted |
Darius Slayton | Auburn | 4.39 seconds | No. 171 overall |
Johnnie Dixon | Ohio State | 4.41 seconds | Undrafted |
Miles Boykin | Notre Dame | 4.42 seconds | No. 93 overall |
Gary Jennings Jr. | West Virginia | 4.42 seconds | No. 120 overall |
Key moments in Terry McLaurin's NFL career attributed to his speed
There are countless examples of McLaurin putting this speed to good use during his prolific NFL career so far. Had the player got better distribution from the carousel of quarterbacks he's worked with, there's a good chance he'd be classed among the league's best pass-catchers rather than remaining underrated.
One prime example of this came against the Dallas Cowboys. McLaurin blew past the secondary with minimal fuss for a 52-yard score with Kyle Allen under center. This still lives in the memory of every Washington fan.
— Chad Ryan (@ChadwikoTWW) October 25, 2020Terry McLaurin goes deep for a 52 yard reception.
Absolutely blew past the defender with pure speed.
Nice touch on the pass from Kyle Allen. pic.twitter.com/V8wcSwXkh1
Not only can McLaurin get downfield, but his ability to adjust at great speed is arguably more impressive. He comes back to the football exceptionally well, adjusting his body and putting himself in the best position to make plays. Again, this has been crucial to his progress thanks to subpar consistency from his signal-callers.
Moment 95123 on why we love football: WFT star WR Terry McLaurin yelling “THIS IS MY CITY” after making THE play snatching a deep ball away from Stephon Gilmore that led to game-winning comeback TD in his hometown of Indy.pic.twitter.com/dNACAItg5U
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) October 30, 2022
Daniels has the arm strength and deep ball accuracy needed to make McLaurin's life easier. The duo have been challenging each other this offseason. They've developed an encouraging early rapport that should serve them well when the real action arrives. If the Heisman Trophy winner reaches his billing, nobody will benefit more than the veteran pass-catcher.
Speed kills in the NFL. McLaurin has it in abundance.
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