What makes Panthers WR Tetairoa McMillan special? Breaking down rookie's college film

New York Times

3 days ago

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Tetairoa McMillan didn't need much of a break-in period after arriving at Arizona in 2022, and there are strong signs to suggest his transition from college to the NFL will be just as seamless.
After pulling in eight touchdowns and leading all FBS freshmen in receiving, McMillan thought he had the skill set to play in the NFL. A couple of years and 2,700 receiving yards later, McMillan arrived in the league as the No. 8 pick of the Carolina Panthers, who prioritized giving Bryce Young another playmaker over adding to a defense that finished last in the league in 2024.
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Young has been a fan of McMillan's since their high school teams met in 2019, and after bumping into McMillan at a training facility in Southern California before the draft, Young talked up McMillan to Panthers coach Dave Canales and general manager Dan Morgan. Among other things, Young was impressed with McMillan's ability to high point the ball.
'That's something that definitely jumped out on film throughout all the draft stuff, versus air and even (during OTAs). You could definitely see that,' Young said. 'Super smooth, has super natural hands. Great catch radius (and) super friendly to the quarterback, which is always nice.'
McMillan has areas he needs to work on as he makes the jump to the pros, including his blocking and getting off physical press coverage. He's already looking to the veterans in the Panthers' receivers room for help.
'God has blessed me with a bunch of things. But I'm always looking to improve my game, especially in that room right now with Hunter Renfrow, Adam Thielen and guys like those, just the vet guys,' McMillan said. 'I look at them to kinda steal certain moves, certain things that they do to get open and create separation. Kinda just add that to my game.'
Given his long frame, sure hands and deceptive quickness, McMillan's game looks NFL-ready.
Part of McMillan's appeal at 6-foot-4, 219 pounds is his ability to sink and explode like a 5-11, 180-pounder — a big guy who can move like a small guy. The above clip shows off a little bit of everything McMillan brings as a receiver who can get open quickly underneath while also keeping plays alive for his quarterback.
Notice how he's able to win inside, sink and sell a whip route back to the sideline without issue, before exploding upfield with one eye back on his QB. When he sees the quarterback is in trouble, McMillan slams on the brakes and fires back toward the football, then plucks the ball effortlessly.
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Reps like this are all over McMillan's college tape. He was constantly working back toward the ball on scramble drills and adjusting to off-target throws while still staying in position to make yards after the catch (he ranked third among FBS receivers last year with 28 forced missed tackles).
Panthers receivers coach Rob Moore believes critics underestimate McMillan's efficiency as an athlete.
'I think we can get overly enamored with speed and some of these other things,' Moore said. 'But he doesn't take a lot of false steps or bad steps. He keeps his feet up underneath him. You don't see him on the ground a whole lot. He plays with really good balance. So I think his short-area quickness is very good for someone that's 6-4, almost 6-5, and 220 pounds.'
Much of the scouting focus on McMillan in the pre-draft process was about how big a threat he can be downfield and in the air. And though that's true, it overlooks the subtle parts of his athleticism that could make him more than just a 'big-play guy.'
McMillan is great at the little things when it comes to route adjustments and finding ways to get open if something's not perfect. He's fearless over the middle and was always an option, even when he was the second or third receiver in a concept.
The term 'quarterback-friendly' is often used to describe players who make the QB's job easier. McMillan qualifies.
'T-Mac does a phenomenal job of being friendly to your quarterback in every route he runs,' Panthers offensive coordinator Brad Idzik said. 'You talk about shaving the top of routes on in breaks to out breaks, and being a hands catcher — he does a great job in that right.'
During his time at Arizona, McMillan had to deal with more off-target throws than the average high-volume receiver. Among players with at least 70 receptions last season, McMillan ranked No. 2 nationally in off-target reception percentage at 18.5, more than six points higher than the average in that category.
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His balance and body control at his size are off-the-charts good. Those traits help with his ball tracking in the air, but also with his work underneath — he made a ton of catches that would've sailed into the sideline or even the stands on more ordinary receivers.
'The thing that I think separated him was his ball skills, his ability to make contested catches, the timing and body control and all those things that he has,' said Moore, an NFL wideout for 10 seasons and two-time Pro Bowler. 'Any time you have a player that doesn't need space to get open, (that) always bodes well, because this isn't a perfect game and sometimes it's just about making plays on the ball.'
McMillan is not a body catcher. He attacks every target with his huge, 10-inch hands and has an elite catch radius, both because of his size and aforementioned body control.
McMillan, whose mom was a volleyball player at Eastern Arizona, played volleyball and basketball himself in high school. He believes those sports have helped him as a receiver.
'Whether it's timing, high pointing the ball, body control,' McMillan said, 'being able to translate that to the game has been a huge testament to why I've been so successful for sure.'
Unlike many receivers his size, McMillan is very effective against zone coverage, as his suddenness and sharp change of direction are top-notch, almost like that of a basketball player cutting and running off screens. Defensive backs cannot stop covering him because he never stops running, even when a play looks dead.
'He is a true pass catcher,' said Idzik, who was with Canales in Seattle and Tampa Bay. 'He's got the whole route tree under his belt that he can run.'
In the above clip, McMillan works the middle of the field from the slot. He completely toys with the safety, showing a standard stop route before exploding behind the defender into open grass for a huge play. This play also shows off how quickly McMillan can transition from making a catch to being in a full-stride sprint. His body control is exceptional for a man his size.
This is the type of stuff we see all the time from smaller receivers against zone defenders. Seattle's Jaxon Smith-Njigba has been an artist at it since college, as has Detroit's Amon-Ra St. Brown. Both of those guys stand barely 6 feet tall; McMillan can do these things at 6-4.
Part of the discussion about McMillan's unimpressive time in the 40-yard dash (4.53 seconds at his pro day) touched on whether he'd be fast enough off the snap to win consistently against press coverage in the NFL. He worked from the slot plenty in college and, because of Arizona's schedule, didn't get much run versus elite corners.
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Moore, the Panthers' receivers coach, spent part of rookie minicamp working with McMillan on his releases. The veteran assistant said most young receivers' release skills are underdeveloped because they don't face much press coverage in college.
McMillan said he saw a lot of press while aligned toward the boundary, but concedes it will be on another level on Sundays.
'The league is different. The DBs play different. They're a lot more physical, so I've just gotta adjust to that,' McMillan said last week during a phone interview. 'I'm always looking to fine-tune my game.'
As for McMillan's sprint speed, some examples suggest any concerns might be a bit overblown. Everything about McMillan's game is twitchy, quick and flexible. McMillan's hand speed, despite his long arms, is good enough to get defenders off his chest at the snap. He can stop and change direction on a dime. He can also bend his body and dip himself under a press attempt while maintaining balance and speed to get back into his route.
People had similar concerns with Drake London when he was drafted out of USC in 2022. All he's done is catch 241 balls in three seasons, on a team with a QB situation that's been shaky at best. Athletically, McMillan and London are great comps.
Blocking was arguably the biggest hole in McMillan's game at Arizona. He wasn't asked to block a ton, but he also wasn't very effective and showed too many examples of average (or below-average) effort when he was.
In general, McMillan's 2024 season, despite his 84 catches for 1,319 yards and eight touchdowns, featured plenty of frustrating moments. His effort when he was an obvious decoy or being deployed as a blocker could be subpar, and his body language when things weren't going well (the Wildcats followed a 10-win 2023 season with a 4-8 record in 2024) was concerning.
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He's acknowledged this, admitting he has to be better in those situations.
McMillan also needs to continue working with Carolina's strength staff, because his lower body has always been slender and could impact his physical ceiling. But McMillan also didn't miss a game at Arizona, so with added power and seasoning, he could be a dominant No. 1 receiver in the NFL.
McMillan has been a pro for a little more than a month, with only a handful of non-padded practices under his belt. But the Panthers are bullish on his abilities and envision him thriving as a favorite target for Young for years to come.
Much like he goes after the ball, McMillan isn't backing away from those expectations.
'It's hard to tell now. But I've gotten this far,' he said. 'I feel like God has blessed me with a bunch of gifts and talents and opportunities. I'm just trying to take it as far as I possibly can, man.'