The Crimson Tide’s starter at center in 2023, McLaughlin entered the transfer portal shortly following the team’s Rose Bowl semifinal loss to Michigan on Monday. Not five days later, he has landed with a team that is guaranteed to play the Wolverines at least once in 2024.
The 6-4, 305-pound lineman will have one season of eligibility remaining in Columbus. In explaining his decision to transfer to Ohio State, McLaughlin told On3’s Hayes Fawcett he ‘really liked’ offensive line coach Justin Frye, adding he ‘trusts him to get me to where I want to go as a player.”
Here’s everything you need to know of McLaughlin as he looks to finish his career at Ohio State:
Seth McLaughlin 247 rank
McLaughlin is considered a four-star prospect, per 247Sports’ transfer portal rankings. He is considered the No. 118 overall prospect in the portal and the No. 2 interior offensive lineman.
Coming out of Buford (Georgia) High School, McLaughlin was considered a three-star prospect per 247Sports’ Composite rankings. He was the No. 476 player in the 2020 recruiting class, No. 10 center and No. 49 player from the state of Georgia.
Seth McLaughlin stats
McLaughlin transfers to Ohio State with extensive starting experience as a center. He started all 14 games for the Crimson Tide at the position in 2023, and also had eight starts in 2022 and three starts in 2021. Per his Alabama player bio, McLaughlin played 11 total games in 2022, earning 913 snaps; he played 10 games in 2021, with 301 snaps.
Despite his experience, McLaughlin had recurring issues with low snaps throughout the 2023 season, including in Alabama’s Rose Bowl loss to Michigan. The center had two consecutive bad snaps to open the second half, stalling what was a promising drive for the Crimson Tide; he also snapped the ball low to quarterback Jalen Milroe on the Crimson Tide’s fourth-and-goal try to end the game, making the play call that much more difficult to execute.
If McLaughlin is to remain at the position in 2024 for Ohio State, that is an issue he must address.