A member of the 2014 recruiting class, wide receiver Terry McLaurin was the third-best wide receiver in the state of Indiana, according to 247Sports. It was only natural that the Hoosiers would recruit him hard.
A 6-foot-1, 204 pound wide receiver, McLaurin was naturally drawn to Kevin Wilson's Hoosier squad, with its success throwing the football. In 2013, McLaurin's last high school football season, Indiana led the Big Ten in passing offense (306.7 yards per game) and was second in the conference in total yards per contest (508.5) behind only Ohio State (511.9).
McLaurin, now a redshirt junior at Ohio State, said Wilson's recruiting pitch at Indiana was simple.
"Come catch a lot of footballs and be a leading receiver (for Indiana)," McLaurin said Monday when describing Wilson's recruiting pitch from a few years ago. "Play for your home state and be a part of the Crimson and their tradition. He was a good dude and he was honest, but when Ohio State came calling, I couldn't walk away from that."
Instead of traveling just more than an hour south of his hometown to play for Wilson, McLaurin landed at Ohio State, where his career has yet to take off.
After redshirting the 2014 season, McLaurin played mostly special teams in 2015. He recorded his first catch in the 2016 season opener against Bowling Green, but managed just 11 catches for the year.
When it was announced this offseason that Wilson was going to join Urban Meyer's staff at Ohio State, McLaurin immediately did his research on the coach that had tried to keep him in his home state of Indiana.
"I knew he put his athletes in a position to make plays, but I went back and did my research," McLaurin said. "His top three or four wide receivers the last three or four years he was at Indiana caught 60-plus balls. We have really good athletes here so we are just hoping that he can bring that from Indiana to Ohio State."
Listed as one of the Buckeyes' starters at wide receiver, McLaurin is expected to be an integral part of an offense that figures to be more successful in the passing game.
When asked if he can be one of the best receivers in the conference with Wilson's new system, McLaurin responded confidently.
"With the new offense that we have and the way we are spreading the ball out, I want to be a guy that J.T. Barrett trusts," McLaurin said. "I want to put confidence in (Barrett) and I feel like I have done that. It is very tangible to have that kind of year."
Since McLaurin didn't commit to Wilson's Hoosier squad in 2014, the Indianapolis native said Wilson will tease him in practice from time-to-time. All kidding aside, McLaurin added that he is glad he and Wilson are on the same sideline heading into the 2017 season.
"He still tries to give me a hard time saying I can't catch or whatever, but that has kind of stopped because I have been making a lot of plays," McLaurin said. "It is fun to have him on our side. He has given the offense new life."
