Tetairoa

McMillan

The Panthers officially bring their X-wide receiver into the fold via a $27.93 million deal. McMillan should immediately compete for the team lead in targets and should produce fantasy-friendly results in year one. The Panthers also signed third-round OLB Princely Umanmielen, fourth-round S Lathan Ransom, fifth-round DT Cam Jackson, fifth-round TE Mitchell Evans and sixth-round WR Jimmy Horn Jr.. Dynasty managers should take note of Horn, who could eventually work his way into three-wide receiver sets.

When asked if 2025 could be his final season, Thielen responded, “It could be, yeah.” This is to be expected at this point in Thielen’s career. The veteran receiver will be 35 at the start of this season, and he revised his contract this offseason for what is effectively a one-year, $8.5 million contract. Thielen returned this season after discussing the decision with his family and said that he and his family will again discuss his NFL future after the upcoming season has concluded. Still a productive receiver, Thielen caught 48 passes for 615 yards and five touchdowns in just 10 games for the Panthers last season. He’ll face additional competition for targets this season with first-round pick Tetairoa McMillan now in the mix, but Thielen should still see plenty of work in what could be his final season.

Kaye said he expects McMillan, taken with the eighth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, to primarily occupy the outside X spot and be an “immediate fixture” in Dave Canales’ offense. Xavier Legette, according to Kaye, will play the Z position while Adam Thielan occupies the slot. “Despite those immediate roles, the three players will likely get the chance to move around the formation,” Kaye added. That’s likely a positive for McMillan’s 2025 fantasy outlook after he proved one of the nation’s most efficient receivers on slot routes at Arizona in 2024. McMillan was the first wideout selected in the draft after racking up 213 receptions for 3,423 yards and 26 touchdowns in 37 games at Arizona. Bryce Young reportedly vouched for McMillan before the Panthers used their first rounder on him.

The Rams ultimately decided on a deal with the Falcons, which landed them a first-round pick in 2026 in exchange for this year’s 26th overall pick. The deal also gave the Rams a pick in tonight’s second round. “To be able to get a future (No.) 1 is a big deal,” said Rams HC Sean McVay, “to just move back 20 spots.” Rams general manager Les Snead added “The value going up there, teams were asking too much — more than we would give.” The Athletic’s Dianna Russini earlier reported that teams which received calls from the Rams believed they were targeting wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, who eventually went to the Panthers at No. 8.

The Panthers desperately needed to add a receiver this offseason, but it sounds like Young got his guy in McMillan. The 6-foot-4 wideout will provide an immediate upgrade to a receiving corps that saw Xavier Legette, David Moore, and Adam Thielen as their top three route runners last season, per PFF. McMillan provides a wide catch radius and caught 60 percent of the contested targets that came his way last season at Arizona. McMillan was already expected to see plenty of targets funneled his way early into his Panthers tenure, but having his quarterback personally vouch for his selection is a good anecdotal sign for an incoming rookie.

A prototypical “X” receiver in a league increasingly dominated by in-betweeners and slot men, McMillan (6’4/219) enters the NFL on the heels of back-to-back awesome campaigns at Arizona. He cleared 1,400 yards in 13 2023 contests before breezing by 1,300 in 12 2024 appearances. He scored 26 touchdowns across 37 college contests. This is a wideout who knows how to use his size, dominating in contested-catch situations. McMillan is a tackle-breaker who is difficult to bring down. Encouragingly, he wasn’t always strictly a boundary threat in the desert, as 22 percent of his 2024 snaps came out of the slot. He had an effective inside-out game. McMillan is also more fluid off the line than you might expect. Staying that way against the NFL’s stickier, more physically imposing coverage will be key to McMillan’s odds of making the leap. Unsurprisingly, he is not a 4.4 burner. He is going to win with size and technique. If that is not the NFL’s most common receiving profile at this point, it remains one of its most deadly. Having just turned 22, McMillan offers 2025 and multi-year fantasy upside in his new home.

McShay, who has McMillan ranked 50th among 2025 prospects, said McMillan’s lack of effort showed up in his routes at Arizona even as he went for 1,319 yards and eight touchdowns in 2024. “Tet didn’t like to workout and practice hard unless a scout was in attendance,” McShay said, pushing back on the frequent McMillan comp of Drake London, who McShay described as “a dog.” On McMillan, McShay also said he “didn’t think he showed attention to detail.” Widely considered to be the top wideout in the draft, McMillan has held pre-draft meetings with the Patriots, Saints and Cowboys. In New England, he would instantly be the team’s No. 1 receiver.

McMillan is one of the top receivers in this year’s draft and will have visits with three teams in need of wide receiver help. After failing to improve its receiver room last season, the Patriots could lean on McMillan as Drake Maye’s new WR1, while the Arizona product would also provide a boost to the Cowboys’ and Saints’ receiver rooms playing opposite CeeDee Lamb or Chris Olave. McMillan also has a previously reported visit scheduled with the Panthers, which was reported late last month. McMillan caught 84 passes for 1,319 yards and eight touchdowns last season on his way to earning First-Team All-American honors.

Popper speculates that the Chargers could take a receiver as high as 22nd overall, and believes Arizona wideout Tetairoa McMillan is a “fit” because of his size and contested-catch ability. Currently the Chargers have Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, and Mike Williams as their starting three-wide set. Given how little Williams produced last year and how much Johnston has struggled throughout his first two seasons, addressing the position again makes plenty of sense. There could be enough competition in the room to keep a Chargers rookie wideout from immediately seeing major target and snap shares, however.

The Panthers’ wide receiver room still needs help. While last year’s first-rounder Xavier Legette prepares to enter his second season, the Panthers’ current WR2, Adam Thielen, prepares for his 12th year. McMillan, who is considered by many to be the top receiver in this year’s draft class, would give the Panthers a big, versatile receiver on the outside who could immediately contribute in three-receiver sets. Currently holding the No. 8 overall pick in this year’s draft, there’s a good chance McMillan will be on the board when the Panthers are on the clock next month.