Ohio State's Pro Day participants took the field inside the Woody Hayes Athletic Center on Wednesday wearing matching heather-red compression shirts and some variety of a dark bottom.
From a fair distance, a few were difficult to differentiate save for wideout Parris Campbell, who wore a white, short-sleeved hoodie that very much separated him from the rest.
Quarterback Dwayne Haskins wasn't difficult to identify. He was, obviously, the one throwing the passes. He also looked the part, a 6-foot-3 passer who was looking a bit trimmer than expected. But it was the teammates to whom he was throwing who almost seemed to be receiving twins.
Only the small number printed on the left side of their chests separated them. One wore No. 1: Johnnie Dixon. The other, No. 83: Terry McLaurin.
Each ran crisp, precise routes Wednesday and made a handful of highlight-reel grabs. For McLaurin, though, it served as the third and final piece of what has been a fantastic pre-draft process.
McLaurin shined, catching passes away from his hands at the end of complex routes and eliciting "oohs" and "ahhs" from those in attendance. He showed good footwork along the sidelines on a couple of tough catches, and the majority of his afternoon was studded with eye-opening plays. Anyone who had started to consider his draft potential had to feel vindicated in their thoughts after Wednesday's workout.
McLaurin's football stardom saw its first peak in high school when he was named 2013 Indiana Mr. Football. The four-star prospect joined a talented receiving corps at Ohio State and, because of the competition, took a while to see considerable playing time in Columbus. No matter, though: McLaurin found his first role on special teams.
Now, that added quality might help him hear his name called earlier in April.
McLaurin finished his Ohio State career with 75 catches for 1,251 yards and 19 touchdowns, including a final campaign of 35 grabs for 701 yards and 11 touchdowns. He was a receiver who caught the touchdowns in between the better-known names before seeing his role expand during his senior season. As a result, he went to Mobile, Alabama, for the Senior Bowl with essentially zero fanfare.
Then he hit the practice field.
McLaurin turned heads with the same crisp routes, run against some of the nation's top upperclassmen. Suddenly, the lone Buckeye at the game was a focal point of the week leading up to the showcase.
From there, his stock continued to rise, thanks to a solid NFL Combine workout that also included a 4.35-second 40-yard dash and 18 reps on the bench press. No longer was he an overlooked name on an Ohio State roster. Now, he's viewed as a potentially reliable No. 2 or 3 receiver who can instantly help on special teams.
That last part might put him on the field immediately, and the actual receiving could keep him on the field for 5-10 years if he finds the right fit.
"Kind of the rare guy that was a redshirt senior," NFL Network's Rhett Lewis said during the network's broadcast of the Pro Day. ... "But a guy that had 11 touchdowns on 35 receptions (during his senior season)."
"Had a very good week at the Senior Bowl," NFL Network's Bucky Brooks added. "The fact that he's able to consistently put the ball in the paint is a very attractive trait."
Attractive indeed. McLaurin's value lies in his versatility, attention to detail and willingness to complete the unheralded tasks with consistent effort. We'll soon learn which team sees the same potential in him.
