2018 Football Roster
Roster
Mark McLaurin
- Position:
- S
- Height:
- 6-2
- Weight:
- 215
- Class:
- Senior
- 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)
![Jacksonville Jaguars punter Logan Cooke (9) punts during the second quarter of an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Jets 48-20. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]](https://images.sidearmdev.com/resize?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdxbhsrqyrr690.cloudfront.net%2Fsidearm.nextgen.sites%2Fmsstate.sidearmsports.com%2Fimages%2F2026%2F1%2F1%2FUSATSI_27828199.jpg&height=340&type=webp)