Seth McLaughlin, IOL, Ohio State
Size:
Height: 6040
Weight: 304
Arm: 31”
Hand: 9 ½”
Accomplishments:
Four-star recruit
“Seth McLaughlin is an intelligent, athletic center with guard flexibility who consistently makes the right read, has his head on a swivel looking for work, and plays with the finishing demeanor sought in an offensive lineman.”
Strengths:
Flexibility
Short-area agility
Recovery
Football IQ
Effort
Concerns:
Snap location
Lunging
Pad level
Hand location
Film Analysis:
Seth McLaughlin ran predominantly a gap/power blocking scheme at Alabama, which showed up on the field. He has a finisher attitude and efficiently gets from double teams to the second level. His athleticism amplifies his recovery in pass protection, and he was trusted to set protections for the offensive line.
The process from snap to blocking is quick and seamless for McLaughlin in both the run and pass game. As a run blocker, he does a great job fighting to keep his head on the play-side of defenders to turn them away from the ball-carrier. He can pull as a lead blocker and gets to linebackers smoothly. When asked to reach block, he shows impressive first-step quickness to cut off the defender.
His football IQ is always on display as a pass protector, whether sifting through a blitz pickup or finding the stunting rusher. He can keep his feet moving with the rusher to stay in front and relocate his hands depending on the angle of the rush. If he finds himself on the receiving end of a powerful rush, he can re-anchor and gain control of the exchange before allowing harm to come to the quarterback.
McLaughlin struggled with snap location, particularly when faced with a rusher head up on him. This caused snaps on the ground so low that they threw off the play timing or to the point where the quarterback dropped them. He also tends to lunge into blocks as a pass protector and run blocker, allowing easy swim or push-pull moves to be executed. Initial hand location is often high and on shoulder pads, which allows defenders easy access to his chest to push him back.
In conclusion, McLaughlin is a power-run scheme fit that understands defensive structures and blitz looks to set protections. He has the body type and athleticism to play center or guard at the next level and, more importantly, the willingness to do what it takes to help the team win.
Prospect Projection: Day 2 — Adequate Starter
Written By: Daniel Harms
Exposures: Georgia SEC Championship (2023), Michigan (2024), Kentucky (2023), LSU (2023)
