Michael McClaughlin SR highlights

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Name another team at OT with more talent than these kids? It’s the most talent we’ve had in about 20 years.
I'm not gonna lie, I don't follow any other teams close enough to answer this. And I'm not saying that won't turn out to be a great group, but I think you're getting a little ahead of yourself here. Zion made a nice jump this year and I think he could end up a very good one, but he still has a way to go. Rivers we don't even know for sure that he'll end up a tackle. Walker we haven't heard the first thing about yet as far as college goes, and there are plenty of other 4-star kids on our roster who can't even play second-team snaps for us.

And Washington and McLaughlin? 2 serious developmental kids that nobody knows if they'll ever do a thing here. I think their talent level is still much to be decided, and they're certainly nowhere close to a sure thing. Again this may end up a great group, but I have a hunch there are 40+ programs who could make a strong claim today to having more tackle talent than us.
 
I'm not gonna lie, I don't follow any other teams close enough to answer this. And I'm not saying that won't turn out to be a great group, but I think you're getting a little ahead of yourself here. Zion made a nice jump this year and I think he could end up a very good one, but he still has a way to go. Rivers we don't even know for sure that he'll end up a tackle. Walker we haven't heard the first thing about yet as far as college goes, and there are plenty of other 4-star kids on our roster who can't even play second-team snaps for us.

And Washington and McLaughlin? 2 serious developmental kids that nobody knows if they'll ever do a thing here. I think their talent level is still much to be decided, and they're certainly nowhere close to a sure thing. Again this may end up a great group, but I have a hunch there are 40+ programs who could make a strong claim today to having more tackle talent than us.
Rivers and Walker were the best tackles in the state and top 100 players. There aren’t 20 teams that have that bud. Mark my words Rivers is a tackle. He’s the best tackle prospect we’ve had since Flowers.
 
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That has nothing to do with the players now. Yeah we have a bad track record developing oline lately but we need to see what justice can do. If we look like *** next year I'll change my tune

Brotha; when did i ever say players? Lol. U won’t ever see me blame players, first. I’m always on coaches heads for development. Yes, players hold some responsibility, but coaches set the template for culture, and player development.

It’s Justice’s first yr, so I’ll definitely give him a pass, but we’ll see next yr for sure
 
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Brotha; when did i ever say players? Lol. U won’t ever see me blame players, first. I’m always on coaches heads for development. Yes, players hold some responsibility, but coaches set the template for culture, and player development.

It’s Justice’s first yr, so I’ll definitely give him a pass, but we’ll see next yr for sure
Yeah I just woke up. I misspoke. Meant to say those coaches have nothing to do with with the players and coaches we have now. To get good development we need some stability in our system and coaches. The last good oline coach we had was stoutland. This year was an improvement. But next year needs to be a big jump or we'll be doing it all over again
 
Rivers and Walker were the best tackles in the state and top 100 players. There aren’t 20 teams that have that bud. Mark my words Rivers is a tackle. He’s the best tackle prospect we’ve had since Flowers.
I hope you're right Rivers sticks at T. I was disappointed when there was some talk about him being a G long-term already. Walker didn't stand out to me honestly when I watched his film last year but what do I know. I'm not qualified to pick the winners from losers when watching HS o-line film, I'll admit it. I thought Scaife and Donaldson would've been a more accomplished duo by now than they are. I've just seen too many heralded HS linemen not amount to jack **** at this level, so I'll have to see something with my own eyes before I start proclaiming these guys the most talented tackle group in the country. You certainly have formed a strong opinion on these guys though, and I hope you're right.
 
Name another team at OT with more talent than these kids? It’s the most talent we’ve had in about 20 years.
Your claim seems ridiculous. Nelson was a 2* recruit who was unprepared to play as a true frosh and improved as a soph. McLaughlin is a 3* recruit who has never played college fb. Washington was a lower 3* recruit who hasn't contributed. Rivers and Walker are good 4* recruits who were freshman this year. Rivers may well end up inside, moreover. The idea that this is the third best collection of OT talent in the country behind Alabama and OSU is the sort of orange and green crack pipe smoke that made sense when we were winning titles but makes zero sense today, when our OL has been terrible for ages. Half the P5 prolly thinks their OL talent looks as good as ours.

The best logical thing you can say about our OL today is it's shaping up to be better than it has been for a while, and may, if we get lucky on evals and development, will actually be solid.
 
Your claim seems ridiculous. Nelson was a 2* recruit who was unprepared to play as a true frosh and improved as a soph. McLaughlin is a 3* recruit who has never played college fb. Washington was a lower 3* recruit who hasn't contributed. Rivers and Walker are good 4* recruits who were freshman this year. Rivers may well end up inside, moreover. The idea that this is the third best collection of OT talent in the country behind Alabama and OSU is the sort of orange and green crack pipe smoke that made sense when we were winning titles but makes zero sense today, when our OL has been terrible for ages. Half the P5 prolly thinks their OL talent looks as good as ours.

The best logical thing you can say about our OL today is it's shaping up to be better than it has been for a while, and may, if we get lucky on evals and development, will actually be solid.
Answer the question if you wanna go there #1. McLaughlin is a 4 star #2.
 
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Answer the question if you wanna go there #1. McLaughlin is a 4 star #2.
McLaughlin is a mid-level 3* on rivals, ranked about 50th in country at his position. 247 likes him more and ranks him as a 4* No. 27 OT. The offer picture clears it up. UM and FSU offers (UM desperate for OTs and known to recruit the spot poorly) and FSU (dumpster fire) offered him, along with FIU, Coastal Carolina and BC. That kid is a 3* kid or the rankings make no sense.
 
McLaughlin is a mid-level 3* on rivals, ranked about 50th in country at his position. 247 likes him more and ranks him as a 4* No. 27 OT. The offer picture clears it up. UM and FSU offers (UM desperate for OTs and known to recruit the spot poorly) and FSU (dumpster fire) offered him, along with FIU, Coastal Carolina and BC. That kid is a 3* kid or the rankings make no sense.

He's a composite 4 star. LMAO Rivals. He had offers from proven OL coaches at VT and BC. Try again.​

 
Nuff said...
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He's a composite 4 star. LMAO Rivals. He had offers from proven OL coaches at VT and BC. Try again.​


I really like Walker, Washington and McLaughlin as projects with upside and high ceilings. But Rivers is the only turnkey kid out of the group, and he’s probably playing guard unless Campbell can’t cut it. I doubt any of the others see meaningful snaps next season, and the jury is out on how good they ultimately are.

I’d like to see another OT portal kid replace Williams. If we get one, we’ll be top quartile OL with the ACC for the first time since Linder, Feliciano and McDermott were on roster. But we will not be top 10 without a massive improvement during the off-season by Nelson, Donaldson and Scaife.
 
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I really like Walker, Washington and McLaughlin as projects with upside and high ceilings. But Rivers is the only turnkey kid out of the group, and he’s probably playing guard unless Campbell can’t cut it. I doubt any of the others see meaningful snaps next season, and the jury is out on how good they ultimately are.

I’d like to see another OT portal kid replace Williams. If we get one, we’ll be top quartile OL with the ACC for the first time since Linder, Feliciano and McDermott were on roster. But we will not be top 10 without a massive improvement during the off-season by Nelson, Donaldson and Scaife.
My point is the talent is there. I didn’t say a top 10 OL next season. I said there’s not 20 other teams with this talent at OT. That was off the hip. Now that I looked it up actually top 10. Only GA had 3 OTs in the top 15 in 2020. Miami and Oklahoma both had 2. Clemson and Ohio Taint had 1. Bama ZERO. UM just added two more top 4 star guys in 2021 on the OL. UM is as deeper than 95% of the teams in CFB now at OT.

Now, Rivers is a tackle with his athleticism and body. People here have no clue that want him at OG. Campbell is the guy that should be switched to OG. I do think getting a grad transfer OG is a great idea. Then consider moving Scaife to center also. Gaynor has no business starting at UM.
 
It is ok for OL to not see the field until rsSoph or Jr years. They key is to develop them into players. Whisky, Iowa etc follow this blueprint. Tried and true
 
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My point is the talent is there. I didn’t say a top 10 OL next season. I said there’s not 20 other teams with this talent at OT. That was off the hip. Now that I looked it up actually top 10. Only GA had 3 OTs in the top 15 in 2020. Miami and Oklahoma both had 2. Clemson and Ohio Taint had 1. Bama ZERO. UM just added two more top 4 star guys in 2021 on the OL. UM is as deeper than 95% of the teams in CFB now at OT.

Now, Rivers is a tackle with his athleticism and body. People here have no clue that want him at OG. Campbell is the guy that should be switched to OG. I do think getting a grad transfer OG is a great idea. Then consider moving Scaife to center also. Gaynor has no business starting at UM.
This is just an absurd comment. We have a guy (Rivers) with good talent who may play OG, a guy (Washington) who's a ?, a guy Walker with good talent who was a true frosh this year, and a guy (McLaughlin) who is a decent project but hasn't even enrolled yet. Nelson is a former 2* recruit entering his junior year who has shown progression but isn't playing at a level other schools are jealous of at this point. Because he was forced to play as a true frosh, by the time he's physically all there and has the right experience, he'll be a senior.

Let's ignore Alabama and Ohio State. Oklahoma signed five 4* OL in 2020 alone. Michigan signed nine 4* OL between '19 and '21. ND signed seven 4* OL and one 5* OL over that time-period. A&M signed five 4* and 2 5* kids over that time. UGA has signed four 5* kids and six 4* kids over this period.

UM fans get excited over the type of kids that programs everywhere sign.
 
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