Bengals Movie Room: UDFA Dwelling Run Seth McLaughlin

The Cincinnati Bengals drafted two offensive linemen this 12 months, however they weren’t performed including younger expertise to that room.

They had been in a position to decide up Ohio State’s Seth McLaughlin as a undrafted free agent. Previous to transferring to Ohio State, McLaughlin made 24 begins for Alabama.

Winner of the 2024 Rimington Award for the nation’s greatest middle, McLaughlin has the instruments to play guard as effectively. In reality, he had the expertise to get drafted someplace within the mid rounds, however ending the season on IR with an Achilles tear critically disrupted his pre-draft course of.

Let’s check out what McLaughlin brings to the Bengals.

On this clip, McLaughlin does an amazing job of reach-blocking the 2i (the defensive sort out lined up contained in the guard). McLaughlin exhibits fast toes as he will get outdoors if the defensive sort out and swings his butt round into the hole. Equally spectacular is the power he exhibits as he engages with the defender. The icing on the cake, or an already spectacular rep, is when McLaughlin comes off the block to tackle the Mike linebacker.

McLaughlin’s blocks had been a key a part of this landing run by Quinshon Judkins.

This time, McLaughlin has even additional to go as he’s tasked with reaching the three Approach (the defensive sort out on the skin shoulder of the guard). The defender will get penetration, however McLaughlin slams into him like a bulldozer. Then he slingshots himself into an outdoor place. Yet another shove, and the operating again has cleared the realm.

This was one other incredible rep by McLaughlin, who exhibits the athleticism and physicality to be a distinction maker within the run recreation.

Let’s take a more in-depth take a look at his athletic capacity. This time, we are going to see McLaughlin pull. Pulling is especially exhausting for the middle in a shotgun offense, whose first job on each play is to throw a strike. Including to the extent of issue, he now has to start out the play along with his palms between his legs.

McLaughlin does an amazing job on this play. He hinge-pulls and makes the important thing block on the linebacker to create the operating lane for the quarterback. Much more spectacular, it seems that Kansas Metropolis Chiefs first spherical choice Josh Simmons (71) could have missed this block by taking a foul path, and McLaughlin could have merely been taking part in clear up.

*A hinge pull often precedes a kickout block. I imagine McLaughlin was imagined to kick out the cornerback, who was left unblocked as a result of the huge receiver went inside to dam the deep security.

It’s common for offensive linemen to climb to the second stage (linebacker stage) to make a block, however it’s fairly ridiculous to see one blocking a deep security. And but, right here is McLaughlin.

He takes a pleasant angle and will get to the protection concurrently Simmons (pulling as soon as once more). The 2 flip the unfortunate defender right into a meatball parm grinder, and he rapidly meets the turf.

Right here we get a take a look at McLaughlin in move safety, particularly his anchor as he takes on the bull rush from this nostril sort out.

On the finish of the rep, you see slightly hand play, and McLaughlin tosses him to the bottom. Seeing a toss like that makes me consider wrestling, and that makes me consider what offensive line coach Seth Peters might do with this man.

On this closing clip, we see McLaughlin’s footwork in move safety in addition to his processing as he kinds out the line of defense twist.

He units to the left (from our vantage level). One defender goes outdoors, and one other loops in, however that defender retains going inside. McLaughlin continues to trace him along with his eyes whereas shifting his toes to remain in place. The defender really goes previous McLaughlin and across the guard’s block, however McLaughlin stays with him and makes the block.

Seth McLaughlin was an amazing addition to the offensive line room. Relying on how rapidly he can come again from his damage, I might see him being in play for the fitting guard place. He has extra versatility than Matt Lee, which is able to give him the higher hand within the middle competitors. Beginning middle is also in play sooner or later.