This UM 4-star tackle commit was once a project. Fifty pounds later, he looks the part
In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Michael McLaughlin took on a little remodeling project.
He had no idea when he would be able to get back into a real gym or weight room, so he built one of his own, tracking down all the basics and transforming his family’s garage into a makeshift weight room. Eric Zajkowski, Parkland Stoneman Douglas’ weightlifting coach and a neighbor of the family, could even swing by the McLaughlins’ open garage and provide a workout plan for the 6-7 offensive lineman.
When his junior season at Stoneman Douglas began last year, McLaughlin weighed about 245 pounds. When the coronavirus pandemic began in March and halted all formal team activities for high school sports in Florida, McLaughlin was about 255. About seven months later, he’s up to about 295.
“Lots of lifting,” McLaughlin said. “Lots of eating.”
The past three years have been all about transformations for the four-star tackle. He moved from Indiana to South Florida in 2018 and went to a Manny Diaz Football Camp in Coral Gables not long after the move. At the camp, former offensive line coach Butch Barry spied McLaughlin playing tight end in the 7-on-7 tournament and asked him to come work out as a lineman. After the workout, the Miami Hurricanes became the first team to offer McLaughlin a scholarship.
McLaughlin spent all of 2019 playing right tackle, helping the Eagles start the season on a nine-game winning steak while simultaneously learning his new position. This year, he’ll swing over to left tackle and make his first start there Thursday when Stoneman Douglas opens the season against Coral Springs.
McLaughlin, who orally committed to Miami in March after Garin Justice took over as offensive line coach, is excited to show off all the ways he has transformed since last season.
“I’m excited so he can see how far I came this offseason,” McLaughlin said.
The physical transformation was only part of McLaughlin’s offseason. He also worked with a private offensive line coach two or three times a week throughout the summer and he’s still working with him once a week throughout the 2020 season.
In 2019, McLaughlin’s success was almost entirely predicated on his physical gifts. He excelled as a run blocker because of the way he could use his size and and athleticism to push smaller edge rushers down the field.
As a pass blocker, McLaughlin was still a work in progress, so he dedicated his offseason to developing his footwork and pass sets from the ground up.
“Much more confident than last season,” said McLaughlin, who’s now the state’s top-ranked tackle, excluding Bradenton IMG Academy players, in the 247Sports.com composite rankings. “Now I actually have a grasp on what I’m doing.”
McLaughlin has faith in Justice to further his development once he early enrolls and arrives on campus next year.
Eagles coach Quentin Short has a longstanding relationship with the position coach. Short played his college football as an offensive lineman at Division II Concord University in Athens, West Virginia, and Justice happened to coach there from 2009-2015. It made for a natural relationship whenever Short had a player looking for a D-II home and Short was quick to vouch for Justice to McLaughlin.
“The main thing that he’s gotten across to me is that he’s a teacher,” McLaughlin said. “His technique is what his main focus is on, so he makes sure that you’re going to know what you’re doing and why you’re doing it, and I think that’s a big thing that can help take my game to the next level.
“Coach Justice — night and day difference from last year’s offensive line, for sure.”
McLaughlin also said he likes what he sees from offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee’s scheme, particularly the tempo, which McLaughlin said he feels suits him well as a former receiver.
Right now, McLaughlin said he talks to Justice a couple times each week and he’s excited to have some film to show him this weekend. Justice also wants McLaughlin to come in right around 300 pounds, so the senior is in good shape there.
While his No. 1 goal is leading Stoneman Douglas to an undefeated regular season, everything else is geared around getting ready to play for Miami.
“At this point, I’ve shut down my recruitment,” McLaughlin said. “I’m not hearing from anybody else anymore.”
This story was originally published October 28, 2020 at 3:02 PM.
