Commanders WR Terry McLaurin earns unique distinction
There's no question how valuable Terry McLaurin is to the Washington Commanders . We saw it firsthand in 2025, when McLaurin, for the first time in his career, missed significant time. He had previously missed only three games in six seasons, but missed seven in 2025. The Command
There's no question how valuable Terry McLaurin is to the Washington Commanders . We saw it firsthand in 2025, when McLaurin, for the first time in his career, missed significant time. He had previously missed only three games in six seasons, but missed seven in 2025. The Commanders struggled to get production from their wide receivers and the offense sputtered with McLaurin and quarterback Jayden Daniels in and out of the lineup.
McLaurin is also proof that not all No. 1 receivers are drafted in the first round. McLaurin was a third-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, No. 76 overall. Despite playing with numerous quarterbacks over the years, McLaurin developed into one of the NFL's best receivers, earning two lucrative contract extensions from the Commanders.
How valuable is McLaurin? Pro Football Focus recently ranked the 20 most valuable non-first-round picks since 2016. McLaurin made the list, coming in at No. 17.
The lone consistent force on Washington’s offense for a considerable period, McLaurin has haunted defensive coordinators throughout the bulk of his career.
Since 2019, the Ohio State alum is eighth in WAR at the position, and his 91.0 PFF receiving grade sits 14 th . While his game is well-rounded, McLaurin’s best asset could be his contested catch ability — where he leads the league with 114 since 2019.
McLaurin’s slight inconsistency and injuries, coupled with his higher draft slot than Nacua and St. Brown, ding his candidacy a bit. Still, he’s returned outstanding value for the Commanders by playing his whole career in the DMV.
Wait, what? Inconsistency? Injuries? Before last season, McLaurin had missed three total games in six seasons — and none since 2020. And let's talk about McLaurin's consistency. Over his first five seasons, McLaurin played with numerous starting quarterbacks, yet still went over 1,000 receiving yards in five of his first six seasons. He missed it by 81 yards in his 2019 rookie season.
The Commanders have tried — and mostly failed — to find McLaurin some help at receiver, in and outside the first round. Washington hopes it found similar value in 2026, when selecting Clemson wideout Antonio Williams at No. 71 overall. Williams is expected to be a significant part of the Commanders' offense as a rookie.
