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In just his second season, former Buckeye WR Terry McLaurin lands team honor from Washington
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Former Ohio State Buckeyes’ wide receiver Terry McLaurin left Columbus two years ago with a great reputation off the field and on-the-field production to match it.
Now the second year pro has joined his former Buckeyes’ teammate Dwayne Haskins in the nation’s capital as a captain of the Washington Football Team. Following a season-ending injury to Landon Collins, McLaurin’s teammates voted him unanimously to wear the “C” patch across his shoulder in Landon’s place and represent the team as an acknowledged leader.
The honor comes not as a surprise to those familiar with McLaurin’s history. The star athlete earned a degree in communications in three-and-a-half years at Ohio State and served both his junior and senior seasons as a team captain in Columbus. He was a part of multiple big bowl wins at Ohio State, including victories over Alabama, Notre Dame, USC, and Washington in the Sugar Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Cotton Bowl, and Rose Bowls, respectively. He was also a part of four victories for the Buckeyes over despised rival, the University of Michigan.
Now thriving in the NFL, McLaurin demonstrated his style of leadership on video after Washington’s home win over NFC East rival Dallas, when he stood up and addressed the team in the locker room.
“I know I’m still a young guy and not a captain or nothing,” McLaurin told his teammates. “The way we came out this week, it was better than last week. I thought we deserved to win last week, but that was complimentary football, from the offense, to the defense, to special teams . . . . Feel this, enjoy this, because that’s what we can build on.”
A week after the speech his teammates voted him a captain. The full video of McLaurin’s speech can be seen at Eleven Warriors.
Mark Schipper is a reporter, sportswriter, and aspiring novelist living in Chicago, Illinois.