Tetairoa McMillan has evolved into a somewhat polarizing prospect in scouting circles leading up to the 2025 NFL Draft, but he will immediately hit the Fantasy Football landscape with a high-upside outlook that could put up points right away. His unique build and size for the wide receiver make him a mismatch in all three areas of the field, he has body control, and rare movement skills for his size and there is still room to grow as a route runner.
One thing that cannot be denied when it comes to McMillan’s profile is that he has been highly productive at every level. He dominated and won the California State Player of the Year award as a senior after racking up 88 receptions for 1,302 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns. McMillan then found success right away at Arizona as a true freshman, leading the nation in receiving yards (702) among all true freshmen and scoring eight touchdowns. Over the next two seasons at Arizona, McMillan went on to set a school record with 3,423 career receiving yards. He also set a school record with 304 receiving yards in a single game.
Dig a little deeper and go behind the hood to find that McMillan was the leader in contested catches (35) and explosive receptions (70) among all wide receivers over the last two seasons in college football, per PFF. These two numbers speak to his skill set and what he offers NFL teams. He averaged 5.1 yards after the catch per reception with a 13.7 yards aDOT (average depth of target). In consecutive seasons at Arizona, McMillan averaged more than 100 receiving yards per game and did it without almost any manufactured production. He had just eight screen targets in 2024, and when watching his film, you rarely see any schemed-up production.
McMillan will have to refine his route running and learn to win more in the quick game and intermediate in-breaking areas of the field, but what he offers as a big play threat and red zone weapon will make him Fantasy relevant right away if he lands with the right team. Speaking of those teams, here are my three favorite fits for McMillan in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Cowboys have done an excellent job replenishing their aging offensive line and that should lead to another explosive passing season from Dak Prescott if he’s healthy. However, Prescott and the Cowboys weapons and McMillan would be the perfect counterpart for CeeDee Lamb. McMillan can line up as the backside X receiver in 3×1 sets to allow Lamb to spend more time in the slot on the three-receiver side of the formation. This is where Lamb is at his best. However, if the Cowboys want to continue to mix Lamb in as the X receiver, McMillan now provides a mismatch that should require safety attention. The Cowboys have thrown for a lot of passing yards and touchdowns with Prescott. This might be the best quarterback situation in McMillan’s future given where what teams are drafting and who is most likely to grab him.
This is not as common of a connection, but I love the fit for McMillan in Carolina given the massive jump Bryce Young took in the second half of the 2024 season. Turn on the All-22 film and you’ll see a more confident version of Young tapping back into the trait that made him so special at Alabama — his anticipatory throwing. McMillan won’t have as much competition for targets in Carolina and could immediately emerge as the No. 1 in an emerging offense, with an excellent offensive playcaller and a quarterback starting to show promise.
The Patriots probably won’t pick McMillan at No. 4 overall, but if they trade back, he’s an excellent target. In New England, he can isolate as the X receiver and allow Stefon Diggs to focus on what he has been best at over the most recent years — manning the slot. McMillan’s skill set works perfectly with a power thrower like Drake Maye and they will create explosives together in the deep passing game. This is his best bet to rack up as many 20+ air-yard completions right away at the NFL level.
You can find my complete scouting report of McMillan based on six games of All-22 film here.
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