Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic

During the 2017 season, Ohio State University wide receiver Terry McLaurin was a junior in eligibility but in his fourth year with the program, and he had already graduated.
 
In three-and-one-half years, the Indianapolis, Ind., native earned his bachelor’s degree in strategic communications from Ohio State. He walked during commencement exercise with eight other teammates, giving Ohio State a total of 15 graduates who played in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.
 
An Ohio State scholar-athlete, McLaurin took full advantage of Ohio State resources and programs to become a most well-rounded and informed young man ready to make his mark on society once his playing days came to an end over. He experienced three four-month long series of Real-Life Wednesdays, which was Coach Urban Meyer’s strikingly unique program of developing outstanding young men prepared to succeed in life.
 
McLaurin spent dozens of Wednesday afternoons in the winter and spring listening and engaging with guest speakers like Phil Knight, Jamie Dimond, Roger Goodell, Les Wexner and Clark Kellogg as they educated on the job interview process, personal finances, starting and building a successful business, parenting and other career endeavors.
 
As winter turned into spring and then into early summer, McLaurin and the Ohio State players continued to develop their minds and portfolios for life after football. The month of May is an opportunity for internships, site visits and shadowing opportunities, and McLaurin used this time as an opportunity to travel to Beaverton, Ore., to intern at the world headquarters of Nike.
 
He also took part in three of the football program’s job fairs. A team captain, McLaurin entered the Goodyear Cotton Bowl as a veteran of 36 games and 17 starting assignments. He was one of the leading receivers on the team as a junior with 28 receptions for 434 yards and six touchdowns, including an 84-yard catch and run for the first touchdown in the 27-21 Big Ten championship game win over Wisconsin