Even after an active journey through the first wave of free agency, the Carolina Panthers still have a few needs that have yet to be addressed. And as of now, a difference-making wide receiver seems to be chief among those holes.
Perhaps 2024 first-round pick Xavier Legette eventually becomes the guy. But that prospect, following an underwhelming rookie campaign, remains in question.
Something similar could be said for fellow youngster Jalen Coker—who, while impressive thus far, has plenty of road ahead of him.
And although the organization just rewarded him for his first two seasons in Carolina, a soon-to-be 35-year-old Adam Thielen is not the long-term answer.
So, with all of the previously-available veterans who could’ve taken that job now spoken for, the focus of this hunt has shifted to the 2025 NFL draft.
Seemingly sitting atop this year’s wide receiver class is University of Arizona standout Tetairoa McMillan. The 6-foot-4, 219-pound All-American is widely considered the top pass catcher of the draft, and could be fully in play for the Panthers and the eighth overall pick.
There may, however, be some red flags concerning his standing in the class.
Here’s what we stated about McMillan in our scouting report on him from January:
McMillan must improve his release packages at the line. He can get jammed early, particularly when he plays high out of his stance.
Furthermore, despite his movement skills and fluidity, he could be a lot more deceptive and creative as a route runner. There are times when opposing defensive backs will blanket him due to rounded cuts and lack of hesitation moves.
When it comes to evaluating wide receivers, the first areas we can look for are route running, separation and release packages. Keep in mind, some players run routes in a different style based on their physical and athletic characteristics—and in McMillan’s case, he’s proved to be sufficient enough in that department.
But he does have to show more creativity to sell his routes and break his stems. That, without the gift of blazing long speed, could be an issue at the pro level.
McMillan is a smart player who knows how to attack leverage. The issue comes as a separator, where there are similar concerns that compare to Legette’s from last year. McMillan’s release packages tend to get sloppy, and his footwork is inconsistent, allowing for those jams to occur.
This, though, does not mean McMillan isn’t a good prospect.
Between his frame, ball skills, jump-ball prowess, fluidity and alignment versatility, it’s easy to see why so many folks are high on him. He is a Day One starter in the NFL.
That, however, doesn’t necessarily mean he’s an elite prospect.
Cleaner evaluations could be found in Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka and Texas’ Matthew Golden, who many have ranked well below McMillan on their boards. Their crisper route running, quickness and effectiveness at the line of scrimmage, in my view, make them more projectable prospects than McMillan.
Based on my grading scale, McMillan is a late first-round to early second-round player. Prospects that receive a top-10 grade, like he has, are viewed as high-impact or instant-impact starters with All-Pro or generational talent.
McMillan does not fit the bill for any of that.
He can help grow this budding Carolina offense, and perhaps even be a fine selection in the eighth spot. But—with the other talent and other needs still out there for Carolina—he is, by no means, a perfect selection for the Panthers.
