Tetairoa McMillan has entrenched himself as a top-ten projected pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. He’s an exciting, tall wide receiver out of the University of Arizona who put together back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. He recently announced he’s forgoing his final year of eligibility and going to the big league.
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There’s a wide range of possibilities that could transpire for McMillan. As the second-rated wideout behind Travis Hunter, he could be drafted shortly after the exciting Colorado prospect. He could also slide if other teams are wary and prefer to take a chance on one of the elite defensive prospects.
Whatever happens, it will be intriguing to track McMillan’s career trajectory. Let’s look at some teams he could land with after the draft.
1) Carolina Panthers
Talk about a team that’s in desperate need of some creativity at wide receiver. The Panthers have been looking for their difference-maker at the position for years now. Adam Thielen has had his moments, but he’s in the latter stage of his career. Xavier Legette is an interesting late first-round rookie, but he never showed any flashes of dominance. Jalen Coker even emerged as an undrafted option.
But it’s time the Panthers supply Bryce Young with a legitimate weapon out wide. McMillan isn’t just good at catching passes, but it’s what he can do after the catch that electrifies audiences. He has amazing stop-start ability and spatial awareness, unlike most. He would offer a wrinkle to the Panthers offense that would be hard to stop.
However, at eight, Carolina would need McMillan to slide quite a bit. But it’s not impossible.
2) Las Vegas Raiders
Another squad that’s in desperate need of help at receiver—the Raiders—just traded away Davante Adams and is looking for a replacement. Jakobi Meyers had a career year crossing 1,000 yards for the first time. But anyone would tell you he’s best suited as a number two option. McMillan would come into this WR room and dominate it from the get-go.
The Raiders might be looking more into defensive options, but if McMillan falls to them, they should take him. He would provide a new look for an offense depleted of good options. And while Meyers is a great possession receiver, he struggles to create after the catch. McMillan would fill in that gap.
1) New England Patriots
It would be stunning to see McMillan end up anywhere but New England. The first four picks of the draft should go as such: Shedeur Sanders to Tennessee. Cam Ward to Cleveland. Hunter to the New York Giants. And McMillan should get drafted in that fourth slot by the Patriots. It’s a team that’s in dire need of a new wideout.
The Pats have three players who would most likely be WR3s on good teams: DeMario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte, and Kendrick Bourne. Does any of them sound familiar? It’s been an ongoing issue with the team since Tom Brady left. McMillan would inject some excitement into Foxborough. But he might dislike the cold coming from Arizona and growing up in Hawaii.
