Consider me shocked Seth McLaughlin went undrafted. I understand he is best known for getting hurt down the stretch for the College Football Playoff national champion Ohio State Buckeyes, as well as not being able to snap the ball correctly to Jalen Milroe when the Alabama Crimson Tide lost to the Michigan Wolverines in the Rose Bowl two seasons ago, but he can play! The proof is in the pudding.
McLaughlin was a two-time national champion in college, won the Rimington last year, was a First-Team All-Big Ten performer and a consensus First-Team All-American. So when I saw that he ended up staying in-state with the contending Cincinnati Bengals, I immediately thought about how great this is for Joe Burrow entering the final two thirds of his career. Keeping him upright is paramount.
Although the lasting images of McLaughlin to me are of him snapping the ball like a hockey puck in a win-or-go-home spot vs. Michigan, as well as him lighting up a stogie to celebrate Ohio State's first-round blowout of Tennessee whilst on a knee watch crutch, everything else he has done has been great. He is a player who plays championship-caliber football going to a team who needs to win one.
The Bengals love getting former Ohio State stars, no matter if they got drafted or even transferred.
Seth McLaughlin to the Cincinnati Bengals is to Joe Burrow's benefit
I find the Bengals rather intriguing this season. Although they have not made the AFC playoffs in back-to-back years, I would argue for them to be in contention to win the AFC North this season. The Cleveland Browns will likely struggle, the Pittsburgh Steelers are too chaotic for my taste, and as far as the Baltimore Ravens are concerned, they are never a team who performs as you hope they would.
So what I am getting at is the Bengals have a top-five quarterback in the NFL and arguably the best receiving tandem in the league in Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, both of whom were recently extended. Yes, there may be issues with ownership being cheap and head coach Zac Taylor leaving something to be desired, but this is a team with the right level and focus could certainly go places.
By adding a player like McLaughlin, one who was deemed the highest ranked player who went undrafted by ESPN, it is hard to argue that the Bengals got anything but a steal in him. When he was healthy and locked in, he was one of the best centers in college football. The fact he won the Rimington, named after Nebraska and Bengals great Dave Rimington, should matter. To me, it does.
Any improvement along the offensive line for the Bengals is an improvement for the entire franchise.