re: 2020 FB Recruiting & Roster

quote:

---

McLaughlin is the first offensive line commitment in Bama’s 2020 recruiting class, and the first pledge for new offensive line coach Kyle Flood. Safeties coach Charles Kelly is the new area recruiter for Buford, however, it's Flood who McLaughlin has communicated with most, he says.

It wasn't just coaches that helped McLaughlin make his mind up, though. "I think the moment I knew was when I was sitting there talking with Pierce Quick and he was talking to me about how great everything was," McLaughlin said. "I asked him all my questions and he answered them and made me feel really good about coming to Alabama."

McLaughlin has visited Tuscaloosa twice so far in 2019, the first trip coming at the beginning of February. In all, he’s been on campus five times throughout his recruitment. The Tide covets the Peach State lineman for a number of reasons, including his versatility.

“Coach Flood said that I’m kinda unique in my class just because I have a center and guard body, but he thinks I have a tackle skillset, so I could probably play anywhere on the offensive line there,” McLaughlin told BOL last month. “And nobody thinks I’m really done growing yet, because I still shave like once every two weeks. They think I could still possibly grow and develop into a tackle, but I’d be perfectly fine playing center and guard in the SEC.”

At 6-foot-4, 270 pounds, the 247Sports Composite ranks McLaughlin the No. 88 offensive tackle and the No. 916 overall player in the country. McLaughlin’s commitment is No. 13 for the Tide’s No. 1-ranked class, taking Bama’s score to 230.60 on the 247Sports Composite Team Recruiting Rankings. Second place Miami sits with 11 commitments, good for a score of 200.90.

---