2015 Football Roster
Roster
Mark McLaurin
- Position:
- DB
- Height:
- 6-2
- Weight:
- 210
- Class:
- Freshman
- Hometown:
- Collins, MS
- High School/Previous School:
- Collins HS
2019 NFL Combine Participant
2017 Associated Press All-Bowl Team
2017 TaxSlayer Bowl MVP
2016 SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll
CAREER: Instinctive safety who was one of the best in the SEC at his position during his last two seasons … Had a breakout junior campaign in which he led the SEC in interceptions and was the TaxSlayer Bowl MVP … Owns the MSU single-season record for picks … Was a preseason All-America candidate by several publications as a senior … Teamed with Johnathan Abram to form one of the top safety tandems in the country … Played in 51 games with 30 starts … Finished as MSU’s active career leader in interceptions with eight … Totaled 224 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks … Defended 26 passes, forced a pair of fumbles and recovered three … Racked up 10 or more tackles in seven different games.
2018 SENIOR SEASON: Started 12 of 13 games and recorded 74 tackles, 4.5 for loss, and four pass breakups … Also forced a fumble and recovered one … Did not start at No. 5 LSU (10/20) ... Played 820 snaps according to Pro Football Focus, which was the seventh-most among safeties in the SEC … Posted double-digit tackle efforts in back-to-back games vs. No. 8 Auburn (10/6) and at No. 5 LSU (10/20) … Collected seven or more tackles in five different games … Recorded at least a half tackle for loss in six different contests … Earned a 79.1 tackling grade from PFF, which was the third-best among SEC safeties who played at least 800 snaps … Finished fourth in the SEC at his position in total pressures (7) and tied for second in hurries (6) … His 74 tackles ranked third on the team … Opened the season with five tackles, including 1.0 for loss, vs. Stephen F. Austin (9/1) … Followed up with five tackles at Kansas State (9/8) and then five more vs. Louisiana (9/15) … Collected six tackles, including 1.0 for loss, at Kentucky (9/22) … Turned in seven tackles vs. Florida (9/29) … Led the team with 10 tackles, including 1.0 for loss, in the big win vs. No. 8 Auburn (10/6) … Eight of those tackles were of the solo variety … Also forced a key fumble at State’s 1-yard line and teammate Kobe Jones recovered it in the end zone for a touchback late in the third quarter … Tied for the team lead in tackles the following game at No. 5 LSU (10/20) … Also logged a half tackle for loss … Registered seven tackles on Homecoming vs. Louisiana Tech (11/3) … Tallied eight tackles, including one half for loss, on Senior Day vs. Arkansas (11/17) … Had three tackles with a half tackle for loss in the Egg Bowl win at Ole Miss (11/22).
2017 JUNIOR SEASON: MSU’s leading tackler (79) and the SEC leader in interceptions (6) … Started 12 of the 13 games he played in at safety … Did not start at Arkansas … Tied the MSU single-season record for interceptions, becoming the first Bulldog since 2009 to tally six picks in a season … Tied for fourth nationally in interceptions … Added 3.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and one forced fumble … Second on the team in pass breakups with six … Recorded four games with double-digit tackles … Named to the Associated Press All-Bowl Team and TaxSlayer Bowl MVP after a spectacular game in leading MSU to a win against Louisville … Tallied a team-high 11 tackles and tied the school single-game record with three interceptions of Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson … Became the first Bulldog since 2014 with three picks in a game … Was the first FBS player to intercept three or more passes in a bowl game since Notre Dame's Harrison Smith did it in the 2010 Sun Bowl against Miami … Was also only the second Power Five player to record three interceptions in a game in 2017 … Two of the interceptions occurred in the fourth quarter, including the game-clincher in the final two minutes … Recorded 10 tackles and returned an interception 32 yards at Louisiana Tech (9/9) … Forced his first career fumble and set a career high with 11 tackles against Kentucky (10/21) … Also had interceptions in games vs. Texas A&M (10/28) and Ole Miss (11/23) … Disruptive game against No. 1 Alabama with 11 tackles and a career-best 1.5 sacks (11/11).
2016 SOPHOMORE SEASON: Burst onto the scene in 2016, earning a starting safety spot midway through the year … Played in all 13 games with six starts … Starts came against BYU, Kentucky, Samford, Texas A&M, Alabama and Arkansas … Accounted for 51 tackles with two behind the line of scrimmage … Ranked second on the team in interceptions with two (BYU, Texas A&M) … Led the squad in fumble recoveries with two … His seven passes defended was second on the team … Tallied a season-high 10 tackles and one pass breakup against Auburn (10/8) … Broke into the starting lineup at BYU (10/14) and collected his first career interception, returning it 27 yards in the second quarter … A week later in start at Kentucky (10/22), scooped up a fumble and took it back 81 yards for a touchdown to put the Bulldogs back in the game in the fourth quarter … Sealed the victory for MSU over No. 4 Texas A&M (11/5) with a diving interception at midfield and 0:27 remaining … His tackles for loss came against South Alabama and Texas A&M.
2015 TRUE FRESHMAN SEASON: Saw time in 12 games on the year, missing only the opener at Southern Miss (9/5) … Notched 20 tackles (10 solo) and three pass breakups … Made a tackle in 10 games with multiple-tackle performances in six of those – Northwestern State (9/19), Troy (10/10), Kentucky (10/24), Missouri (11/5), Ole Miss (11/28), NC State (12/30) … Tallied one pass break up in three games – vs. Northwestern State (9/19), Troy (10/10) and Kentucky (10/24) … Made a season-high three tackles in four games with all three of those at Missouri (11/5) solo.
HIGH SCHOOL: Solid defensive back awarded four starts by 247Sports … Played wide receiver and safety and was the No. 8 ranked player in Mississippi by 247Sports … Ranked No. 14 in the state by Scout.com and No. 26 by ESPN.com who also had him as a three-star recruit … A three-star prospect according to Rivals.com who was the No. 18 player in the state … Helped Collins to be crowned the 2014 Class 3A State Champions and a 14-2 record during his senior season … In 16 games played during his senior season, recorded 35 receptions for 665 yards and eight touchdowns as a receiver … As a safety in 2014, recorded 38 total tackles and five for loss … Also picked off seven passes, deflected four passes, recovered three fumbles and caused one … Played baseball, basketball and football in high school … Coached by Ryan Earnest … Committed to Mississippi State in July 2014.
PERSONAL: Born Mark Lamar McLaurin on April 11, 1997 … Son of Tijuana and Mark McLaurin … Has six siblings – Tela, Meshia, Stokes, Jaylen, Mike and Devion … A business administration major … Twitter handle is @_young_star11.
MCLAURIN’S CAREER HIGHS
Tackles: 11, three times, last vs. Louisville (12-30-17)
Tackles for loss: 1.5, vs. Alabama (11-11-17)
Sacks: 1.5, vs. Alabama (11-11-17)
Interceptions: 3, vs. Louisville (12-30-17)
Pass breakups: 2, vs. Kentucky (10-21-17)
Forced fumbles: 1, (twice) last vs. Auburn (10-6-18)
