Holding the eighth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Carolina Panthers selected Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan. Lacking elite pass catchers on the team, the Panthers are looking to add more production to their receiver room with the stud from Arizona.
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Production is nothing foreign to McMillan, as he’s caught 213 receptions for 3,423 yards and 23 touchdowns in three seasons at Arizona. That’s exactly what the Panthers and quarterback Bryce Young need.
Last season, veteran wide out Adam Thielen was the team’s leader in receiving yards with 697. He also led the team in receiving touchdowns with five. No other player, let alone receiver, had more than 500 receiving yards or four receiving touchdowns last season for Carolina.
On the 4th and 1 podcast hosted by former Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton and his host, Omari “Peggy” Collins, saw a Tweet from the Panthers’ fan page, Keep Pounding Podcast, that asked what the team’s realistic expectations are for the season.
Keeping a non-biased opinion, Newton shared that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Atlanta Falcons can be viewed as favorites to win the division. He also doesn’t expect his Panthers or the New Orleans Saints to have big seasons due to the number of questions each team has
“In any type of franchise or organization, you want to win your division,” said Newton. “The division favorites right now is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC South, or you may say, the Atlanta Falcons. You’re not expecting a big year from the Carolina Panthers or the New Orleans Saints because there are so many question marks.”
https://t.co/yijBJNmSVA pic.twitter.com/bQxChXe9XT
— 4th&1 with Cam Newton (@4thand1show) May 2, 2025
It’s been eight years since the Panthers have had a winning season. However, the draft always provides encouragement and positivity towards a franchise’s future, and the Panthers could have a potential young star in McMillan.
While McMillan, who stands tall at 6’5”, is a physical specimen and a big physical receiver with a good catch radius, he’s going to have to do more off the field in order to be a good pro. In an interview prior to the 2025 NFL Draft, McMillan revealed that he doesn’t watch football or watch his own film on his own time.
This caused Newton to react by saying McMillan will have to change that when entering the NFL, as you can’t get away with as much in the pros, especially in preparation.
“Are you going to take your job serious?” Newton questioned. “There’s been reports that you don’t watch film, that’s not going to be the case now. You have to watch film, your career is depending on it.”
Being in the same locker room as Thielen, Newton thinks he’s the perfect veteran to help ‘blossom’ a young McMillan.
