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Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
2025 NFL Draft: What happened to the Tetairoa McMillan hype?
(This article was written with the assistance of Castmagic, an AI tool, and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy. Please reach out to us if you notice any mistakes.) Subscribe to on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen. As we inch closer to the NFL Draft, the discussion around the top wide receiver prospects is more intense than ever. One name that's generated plenty of conversation is Arizona's Tetairoa McMillan (or "T-Mac" as he's often called). In the latest episode of the Yahoo Fantasy Forecast, host Matt Harmon and The Athletic's Dane Brugler dove deep into McMillan's draft stock, bringing much-needed clarity to where he stands among the 2025 WR class. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] Brugler, renowned for his exhaustive draft guide "The Beast," isn't shy about his admiration for McMillan's game. He describes T-Mac as "a borderline top 10 pick in this draft," emphasizing McMillan's rare combination of size, catch radius and hands: "I love the catch radius, love how he attacks the football. You rarely — show me the film where the ball is getting into his body. He doesn't let that happen." Brugler's praise isn't hollow — he ranks McMillan as a first-round talent, albeit not quite in the elite Marvin Harrison Jr./Brian Thomas Jr. tier from last year. McMillan's ability to play true X receiver, a premium position in most NFL offenses, cements his value. Harmon points out just how well McMillan would fit a team like the Saints, who are desperate for an outside receiver with size to complement Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed. Harmon's experience charting receivers for Reception Perception also lines up favorably, comparing McMillan's style and impact to NFL players like Courtland Sutton: "I think he kind of belongs to the same family of receivers that Drake London does, but he's not quite Drake London. ... These big guys that separate better than you think and they can do a lot of damage on these in-breaking routes." When a receiver has versatility, hands, size and can unlock different looks for an offense, it's hard to keep him out of the top-10 conversation. Despite the consensus love, McMillan isn't without detractors or question marks. Both Brugler and Harmon touch on why some evaluators — and potentially some NFL teams — see McMillan sliding a bit from the 'lock top-10' label he wore early in the process. McMillan's 4.53 forty at his pro day surprised nobody who watched him in college, but it did accentuate that he wins with nuance, not raw speed. Brugler notes, "He's not a burner. We know that. ... He is a little bit raw as a route runner ... he's probably more finesse than truly aggressive. ... There's just a big jump between the Big 12 and what he'll face in the NFL." Both analysts agree McMillan might be best as an elite No. 2, which (somewhat unfairly) suppresses his top-10 ceiling. Harmon said: "He's probably best if he's your really, really good number two ... those guys can kind of share that "Who's the 1A and who's the 1B title" and provide a really dynamic duo." It's also worth mentioning the 2025 class doesn't have the same top-heavy WR talent as last year's legendary group. Brugler specifically says if McMillan were in last year's class, he'd be ranked behind Brian Thomas Jr., but in this year's group, that's a borderline top-10, top-12 valuation. After digesting Harmon and Brugler's in-depth conversation, here's where things stand: McMillan is still in that top-10 wide receiver prospect conversation in this class — not as a no-doubt blue-chipper, but as a highly valuable, NFL-ready talent with clear 'starter-plus' potential. His best fit likely comes as a team's X receiver — or a high-volume 1B — on a squad that can maximize his catch radius, physicality and polish versus focusing on deep speed. The split in the scouting community is less about a lack of talent and more about expectations: McMillan isn't Marvin Harrison Jr., but he's rock solid and projects as a possible instant starter. Don't be surprised if teams like the Saints or Cowboys fall in love with his fit and take him in the 9-12 range comfortably. Either way, he'll be among the first handful of receivers off the board, and rightfully so. Tetairoa McMillan absolutely remains a top-10 prospect in the 2025 class, with the only major knock being whether he's a true WR1 or a perfect 1B for a creative NFL offense. Check out the full Yahoo Fantasy Forecast episode with Matt Harmon and Dane Brugler for all the nuanced breakdowns — it's a must-listen for draft fans and fantasy managers alike.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mock Draft Monday with Dane Brugler: Jags land Jeanty, Saints pass on Shedeur
This embedded content is not available in your region. Draft week is FINALLY here and we kick things off with a banger of a Mock Draft Monday. The Athletic's Dane Brugler joins Matt Harmon for the final installment of the series as he shares his five favorite fits from his latest seven-round mock draft. Brugler also shares his 'Stand on the Table' prospect and it's a WR Harmon thinks could be the best pick to make on day two of the draft. (2:30) - Revisiting Dane's 2024 Mock Draft Monday picks (5:05) - Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty - Jacksonville Jaguars (14:15) - Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan - New Orleans Saints (22:35) - Oregon DT Derrick Harmon - Cincinnati Bengals (27:45) - Michigan CB Will Johnson - Green Bay Packers (34:45) - Ohio State WR Emeka Egbuka - Washington Commanders (41:10) - Dane's Stand on the Table prospect: Iowa State WR Jaylin Noel Download the Yahoo Sports app to participate in the new NFL Draft Experience! Draft week is FINALLY here and we kick things off with a banger of a Mock Draft Monday. The Athletic's Dane Brugler joins Matt Harmon for the final installment of the series as he shares his five favorite fits from his latest seven-round mock draft. Brugler also shares his 'Stand on the Table' prospect and it's a WR Harmon thinks could be the best pick to make on day two of the draft. (Credit: Jason Jung) 🖥️ Watch this full episode on YouTube Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at or at Yahoo Sports Podcasts
New York Times
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
This Week in Sports Trivia: May 1, 2025
The NFL Draft is always a big event, but the 2025 version held a special sort of fascination, courtesy of Shedeur Sanders. Ranked as the No. 2 QB in the draft by The Athletic's Dane Brugler, Sanders remained available as the first round slid by on Day 1. As Day 2 passed, he was still on the board. Finally, the Cleveland Browns ended the saga by selecting him on Saturday's Day 3, even though they had already picked a quarterback (Dillon Gabriel) two rounds prior. Still, this will undoubtedly continue to be a storyline to watch throughout the summer and into the fall. Advertisement Beyond the draft, there was plenty of news across the sports world, with the NBA and NHL playoffs creeping toward the end of their first rounds, a couple of MLB records broken and much more. We hope you've been paying attention, because we've crammed a lot of it into this week's quiz. Have fun, and while you're at it, make sure to play our daily Connections: Sports Edition. Good luck! (Illustration: John Bradford / The Athletic; photos: Carmen Mandato, Carl Recine, Dustin Bradford, Al Bello, Stacy Revere / Getty Images)
USA Today
30-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Where does Dane Brugler have LSU's Garrett Nussmeier in his first 2026 mock draft?
Where does Dane Brugler have LSU's Garrett Nussmeier in his first 2026 mock draft? Garrett Nussmeier returned to LSU for a fifth year of college football with unfinished business. With a strong year, Nussmeier can lead LSU to the playoffs, contend for the Heisman Trophy, and make his case to be a top pick in next year's NFL Draft. According to Dane Brugler's 2026 mock draft in The Athletic, Nussmeier will be selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the No. 16 overall pick. He is projected to be the fourth quarterback off the board behind Texas' Arch Manning, South Carolina's LaNorris Sellers, and Penn State's Drew Allar. After a standout performance in 2024, Nussmeier may have passed up a higher spot had he entered the draft. Cam Ward, who was selected with the first-overall pick, and Jaxon Dart (No. 25) were the only quarterbacks taken in the first round of Thursday's draft. "Had Nussmeier bypassed his senior year at LSU, teams believe he could have been the second quarterback drafted I this class," Brugler said. Instead, the Lake Charles native decided to don the purple and gold for a final season. Nussmeier threw for 4,052 yards and 29 touchdowns last year and is after the program's all-time passing record. He needs 3,657 yards to pass Tommy Hodson on the leaderboard.
USA Today
29-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Dane Brugler ranks the Tennessee Titans' 2025 draft class inside the Top 10
Dane Brugler ranks the Tennessee Titans' 2025 draft class inside the Top 10 The 2025 NFL draft is complete, and analysts are breaking down every move and overanalyzing every facet of a team's process. While some outlets hand out letter grades for the draft, draft expert Dane Brugler ranks his favorite draft classes from top to bottom and breaks down what went right and wrong over the three days. Once again, the Tennessee Titans find themselves near the top of the rankings after adding nine players in their draft haul. Here is what he had to say about Tennessee in his rankings in The Athletic. 8. Tennessee Titans Favorite pick: Cam Ward, QB, Miami The Titans did a great job hitting on all their areas of need without having to reach or overdraft at any position. But Tennessee's draft will be remembered for its pick at No. 1. An electric playmaker, Ward has been handed the keys to the organization, and his talent will give the Titans a legitimate chance to compete for the AFC South title over the next few years — and beyond. Day 3 pick who could surprise: Gunnar Helm, TE, Texas Tennessee needed to address its offense again early on Day 3 and did exactly that by taking three pass catchers in Round 4. Helm might not wow with his size or speed, but he can wiggle free from coverage and finish at the catch point. With Chig Okonkwo going into the final year of his rookie deal, the Titans will give Helm plenty of opportunities as a rookie to see what they have. In his first draft with Tennessee, general manager Mike Borgonzi was meticulous in his approach and quietly did an outstanding job adding competition and depth to the roster. Not only did they select high-character individuals, but they also brought in different skill sets to address areas of need. While some of the players may have been a surprise to those outside the building, their positions were all documented throughout the pre-draft process. The big test now is seeing how these prospects perform on the field. On paper, this is an outstanding class, but that won't matter once the pads go on.
