McLaurin redshirted his freshman season in 2014. As a redshirt freshman for the Ohio State Buckeyes in 2015, McLaurin appeared in six games and recorded seven tackles and a fumble recovery.[3] As a sophomore in 2016, he recorded 11 receptions for 114 yards and two touchdowns in 13 games.[4] As a junior in 2017, he recorded 29 receptions for 436 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns in 13 games.[5] As a senior in 2018, he recorded 35 receptions for 701 yards and 11 touchdowns.[6]
McLaurin was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the third round (76th overall) of the 2019 NFL draft.[9][10] With their first round pick in the same draft, the Redskins also drafted McLaurin's college quarterback, Dwayne Haskins.[11] He signed his four-year rookie contract on June 6, 2019.[12]
Due to a strong training camp performance, McLaurin was named a Week 1 starter. McLaurin made his NFL debut in the opening game of the 2019 season against the Philadelphia Eagles. There, he recorded five receptions for 125 yards, including a 69-yard touchdown.[13] He added to that by catching at least five passes and a touchdown over the next two games, making him the first player in league history to achieve such a feat in their first three career appearances.[14]
In Week 6 against the Miami Dolphins, McLaurin caught four receptions for 100 yards and two touchdowns as the Redskins won their first game of the season.[15] During Week 15 against the Eagles, McLaurin finished with five receptions for 130 receiving yards, including a 75-yard touchdown.[16] He finished the season with 58 receptions for 919 yards and seven touchdowns and was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team.[17][18]
In Week 2, McLaurin recorded seven receptions for 125 receiving yards and his first touchdown of the season during a loss to the Arizona Cardinals.[19] In a Week 4 loss against the Baltimore Ravens, McLaurin recorded 10 receptions for 118 yards.[20] Following a season ending injury to team captainLandon Collins in October 2020, McLaurin was unanimously voted by his teammates to replace him.[21] In a Week 9 loss against the New York Giants, he had seven receptions for 115 receiving yards and a touchdown.[22] He suffered a high ankle sprain against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 15 and missed the following game against the Carolina Panthers as a result.[23] Despite the team's unstable quarterback situation, he would finish the season with 1,118 yards and four touchdowns.[24] The team won the NFC East division, with McLaurin recording six catches for 75 yards in a 31–23 Wildcard loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.[25]
In March 2021, Curtis Samuel signed a three-year contract with the Washington Football Team, reuniting McLaurin with his college roommate and fellow receiver.[26] In a Week 2 game against the New York GiantsonThursday Night Football, McLaurin caught 11 receptions for 107 yards and a touchdown in a 30–29 victory.[27] McLaurin recorded 123 yards off of six receptions and two touchdowns in the Week 4 win over the Atlanta Falcons.[28] He recorded 103 yards off of three receptions and a touchdown in the 27–21 Week 11 win over the Carolina Panthers, this would be his fourth 100-plus yard game in the season.[29] McLaurin left in the third quarter of the Week 14 game against the Dallas Cowboys due to a concussion.[30] In the 2021 season, McLaurin started in all 17 games. He recorded 77 receptions for 1,053 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns.[31]
An impending free agent after the season, McLaurin decided against participating in on-field offseason workouts.[32][33] On July 5, 2022, McLaurin signed a three-year contract extension worth $71 million with a $28 million signing bonus.[34][35] In the 2022 season opening win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, he recorded 58 receiving yards off two receptions as well as a 49-yard touchdown reception.[36] The Week 8 game against the Indianapolis ColtsatLucas Oil Stadium was the first time in McLaurin's professional career that he played in his hometown of Indianapolis.[37] With the Commanders losing and 40 seconds remaining in the game, McLaurin made a critical 33-yard contested catch which set up the Commanders to score a one-yard rushing touchdown on the next play and winning the game with a final score of 17–16.[38][39] He finished the game with 113 yards off six receptions against the Colts.[40] McLaurin had eight receptions for a season-best 128 yards on Monday Night Football as the Commanders ended the Eagles' undefeated start to the season in Week 10.[41] He finished the season with 77 receptions, a career-high 1,191 yards, and five touchdowns, and was also voted to his first Pro Bowl.[42][43] He was ranked 94th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2023.[44]
McLaurin achieved his career high single game receiving yards record in Week 15 against the Los Angeles Rams, during the game he hauled in 6 receptions for 141 yards and one touchdown.[45] He finished the season with four touchdowns and 1,002 yards, making him the first Washington player to record four straight 1,000 yard seasons.[46] He was ranked 97th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2024.[47]
McLaurin has been called by several nicknames during his NFL career, such as "Scary Terry", "F1", and "The Captain".[48][49][50] He established the Terry McLaurin Foundation to help disadvantaged kids in the Washington metropolitan area.[51] He also has a cereal named after him called Terry McLaurin's Crunch Time.[52]
Redshirt
