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After his first three NFL seasons, Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin was often on the outside looking at as one of the NFL’s top 10 wideouts.
It didn’t matter how well McLaurin played in a bad offense with eight different quarterbacks [10 now]; he was often excluded from top-10 lists.
After another standout season in 2022, in which McLaurin caught 77 passes for 1,191 yards and five touchdowns, people are finally coming around to his greatness.
ESPN continued its series Tuesday of ranking the top 10 players at every position. The latest was wide receiver, and McLaurin made the list, coming in at No. 9.
While each list means something, ESPN’s list surveys league executives, coaches, scouts and players to rank the top 10 at each position.
Here’s ESPN’s assessment of McLaurin:
It’s not just that McLaurin has recorded three consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons, the fourth player in franchise history to do so. It’s that he has done that despite playing with 10 different starting quarterbacks in four years.
Basically, he deserves a lifetime achievement award for what he has endured.
“His toughness is off the charts,” a national NFL scout said. “He’s grown into a better receiver every year, he wants the ball at the end of the game, and he makes contested catches with the best of them. Quality route runner.”
McLaurin’s 6.8% catch rate above expectation ranks tied for second among receivers on this list.
One complaint about McLaurin is that he doesn’t scare coaches on the scouting report like some others. “But then you look up and he’s got eight [catches] for 93 [yards] with a bad quarterback,” a veteran NFL defensive coach said.
The NFL defensive coach said it best: “You look up and he’s got eight for 93 with a bad quarterback.”
That says it all about McLaurin. He does everything well. He will not be outworked. He runs good routes, he competes on every snap, he blocks, he separates, he’s dangerous after the catch and he can beat you deep.
Another thing McLaurin does almost better than anyone else is making contested catches. And he does it without the massive size of someone like Mike Evans, which speaks to his toughness and competitiveness.
What’s next for McLaurin? Washington hopes that new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, combined with quarterback Sam Howell, will unlock more of McLaurin’s talent in the deep passing game. So don’t be surprised if McLaurin sets a new career high in touchdown receptions in 2023.