Ohio State football adds transfer commitment from Alabama center Seth McLaughlin
Joey KaufmanSeth McLaughlin, the former starting center at Alabama, is transferring to Ohio State, he announced Saturday.
McLaughlin made 25 career starts with the Crimson Tide before entering the transfer portal earlier this week following their loss to Michigan in the Rose Bowl, a semifinal for the College Football Playoff.
Fourteen of his starts came this past season, while he also started eight times in 2022 and three in 2021. He has one season of eligibility left.
Errant snaps emerged as an issue for McLaughlin last year, including several against the Wolverines.
The last one proved especially costly. On a fourth-and-goal in overtime, as Alabama trailed by a touchdown, the snap to quarterback Jalen Milroe was low, leading him to crouch down toward the grass for a split second and delaying the draw. Milroe was soon stuffed at the line of scrimmage.
More:Some thoughts on Alabama C Seth McLaughlin, his case of the bad snaps, and why it stinks
More:Join the Ohio State Sports Insider text group with Bill Rabinowitz, Joey Kaufman Adam Jardy
But McLaughlin was otherwise a plenty capable blocker for the Crimson Tide, especially in pass protection. Pro Football Focus credited him with allowing only one sack over the last three seasons.
Adding a veteran presence to the interior of the offensive line, he could replace Carson Hinzman as its anchor next season.
Hinzman started at center as a redshirt freshman, but struggled at times and was replaced by Matt Jones, the right guard, in Ohio State's 14-3 loss to Missouri in the Cotton Bowl last week. Jones, though, wasn't to be a long-term fix. A sixth-year senior, he has exhausted his eligibility.
It’s also possible McLaughlin could be a replacement for Jones at right guard or Donovan Jackson at left guard if he forgoes his remaining year of eligibility to enter the NFL draft. Jackson has not announced a decision. While all of McLaughlin's starts have been at center, he is seen as versatile enough to play multiple spots on the interior of the line.
McLaughlin was the nation’s No. 10 center prospect, according to 247Sports’ composite rankings, when he signed with Alabama as part of its recruiting class for 2020. He followed former Ohio State offensive lineman Harry Miller as the starting center at Buford High School outside of Atlanta in 2019.
He’s the third transfer the Buckeyes have picked up this week, following commits from Kansas State quarterback Will Howard and Ohio tight end Will Kacmarek.
The Buckeyes turned to the portal last offseason to fill holes on the offensive line with mixed results. Josh Simmons, who transferred from San Diego State following spring practice, emerged as their starting left tackle, while Vic Cutler, who came from Louisiana-Monroe, was edged out by Hinzman for the starting center spot and reentered the portal in November.
But neither of them was as experienced as McLaughlin.
Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch and can be reached at jkaufman@dispatch.com.