MOBILE, Alabama -- It's not often when just one Ohio State player winds up at the Senior Bowl.
Terry McLaurin's done a good job of generating enough headlines to remind everyone that there won't be any shortage of Buckeye talent in this year's NFL Draft.
McLaurin doesn't carry quite the same draft buzz as some of his former teammates, but he's made a name for himself this week by flashing the kind of speed and quickness that makes a difference on the field and, when it pertains to the importance of this week's event, draft weekend.
According to the Senior Bowl's Zebra Technology tracking system, McLaurin reached a maximum speed of 22.6 miles per hour in a one-on-one drill against Washburn's Corey Ballentine. In a special teams drill, McLaurin, lined up as a gunner, came off the line of scrimmage completely untouched by two defenders.
McLaurin told NFL.com’s Chase Goodbread he expects to run the 40-yard dash in 4.35 seconds or better at next month's NFL Combine.
McLaurin, who caught 40 passes and eight touchdowns combined as a sophomore and junior, used that speed to have a standout senior season at Ohio State. Nearly one-third of the 35 passes McLaurin caught went for touchdowns, as he amassed 701 yards and 11 touchdowns as part of one of the nation's most potent offenses. He averaged a clean 20 yards per catch.
Even still, the 6-foot, 205-pound McLaurin wasn't invited to the Senior Bowl until the last wave. One day of practice proved McLaurin was right where he belonged.
"He was toasting people vertically and sharp out of his breaks. I thought he gave all the cornerbacks a tough time," NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein wrote. "He was a late add to the roster here, and he really looked good. We weren't hearing any buzz about him coming into today, but with his speed and ability to separate, he's definitely on my radar now. At 6-foot and 205 pounds, he has good size and it looks like he has really good speed."
