SM #65

Seth McLaughlin

Center · Ohio State

A two-time national champion and Rimington Trophy winner who fought back from a ruptured Achilles to reach the NFL.

Seth McLaughlin is a 6-foot-4, 304-pound center who won national titles at both Alabama and Ohio State before an Achilles injury cut short his decorated final college season. Despite going undrafted, his pedigree as college football's top center in 2024 earned him a shot with the Cincinnati Bengals and, now, a futures deal with the Detroit Lions.

★ Rimington Trophy winner as the nation's top center (2024)

★ Consensus first-team All-American and first-team All-Big Ten (2024)

★ Two national championships, with Alabama (2020) and Ohio State (2025)

Path to the league

A five-star-caliber recruit out of Buford, Georgia, McLaughlin committed to Alabama, where he played from 2020 to 2023 and was part of the Crimson Tide's 2020 national championship team. He transferred to Ohio State in January 2024 and started the Buckeyes' first 10 games at center before rupturing his Achilles tendon in practice, ending his season.

Career highlights

Despite the injury, McLaughlin's 2024 season at Ohio State earned him consensus first-team All-American, first-team All-Big Ten, and Academic All-American honors, and he won the Rimington Trophy as the nation's top center, becoming the Buckeyes' first winner since 2017. He remained with the team through the postseason in a leadership role as Ohio State won the 2025 national championship, giving him two title rings.

2025 season recap

McLaughlin went undrafted in 2025 and signed with the Cincinnati Bengals as a free agent, but was cleared to practice only in late July after his Achilles rehab. He was waived during Cincinnati's final roster cuts on August 26 and spent his rookie season on the Bengals' practice squad. He signed a reserve/futures contract with the Detroit Lions on January 6, 2026.