Written by: Nathan Coleman (@JhawkChalk89)
The Washington Redskins signed a familiar face for their new rookie passer Dwayne Haskins.
Teammate Terry McLaurin (Pick 76) will serve as the Redskins new field stretcher. As a 95th percentile SPARQ athlete, “Turbo Terry” finished the 2018 season averaging 20 yards per reception, putting him in the ultra-elite 93rd percentile for his class. A deep threat can’t come soon enough in DC, as Jay Gruden’s offense went from ranking 2nd in explosive pass plays (2016-2017) to 30th in 2018.
With only 17.7% of Ohio State’s receiving yards and touchdowns, the former Buckeye was not an elite college producer. Of course, production is not everything, especially when considering the bevy of receiver talent and competition that existed at OSU.
What T-Mac lacks in production he makes up for with bat out of hell-like wheels. A rich man’s version of Devery Henderson (Per Rotoworld), McLaurin showcased a 4.35 40 time (97th percentile) and a speed score of 114.6 (95th percentile) per Playerprofiler. Not only does he take the top off of defenses, but he also leverages his deep threat ability to creates space underneath with crisp route running. As a result, Sports Info Solutions ranked McLaurin 1st in both target separation (out of the top 33 college WRs) in man coverage and expected points per target.
How He Fits in Washington
In my humble opinion, “Turbo T-Mac” is a perfect fit in DC for multiple reasons. At the forefront, Dwayne Haskins is a distributor more than a creator. Haskins has pinpoint accuracy but also relies on target separation and yards after catch from his playmakers. In fact, according to PFF, Haskin’s 4953 passing yards and 50 touchdowns led the rookie class. Yet, 1856 yards and 16 touchdowns came on throws within five yards of the line of scrimmage. It’s not an indictment on the rookie passer but rather an opportunity for Redskins brass to mesh their personnel and scheme to fit his strengths.
Adding McLaurin as an ancillary receiving piece is a strong move by the front office. As mentioned earlier, the rookie wideout will add explosion and play creation to a receiver core that finished near last in team target separation. Haskins has an established chemistry with McLaurin which is usually non-existent for rookie passers/receivers heading into camp.
Most know I don’t really care to overweight intangibles, but McLaurin is also a high character guy that impressed during the pre-draft process especially during the Senior Bowl. Add in his ability to immediately contribute on special teams, and this pick has all the makings of a fine investment for Washington.
