Jaguars Drafting Tetairoa McMillan Would Send Message On Trevor Lawrence

What would a Tetairoa McMillan draft pick mean for the Jacksonville Jaguars and Trevor Lawrence.

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) passes the ball during the ninth day of an NFL football training camp practice Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. Today marked the first day of public practice inside the stadium. | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK

There is more than one way the Jacksonville Jaguars can send a message about their commitment to Trevor Lawrence's development in next week's NFL Draft. But there is one decision that maybe screams the loudest.

Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan. McMillan is rarely mocked at No. 5 at this point in the draft process, but he is the type of pick the Jaguars could make that would firmly say to the world that they care about Lawrence improving and little else.

The Jaguars have much bigger needs than wide receiver when it comes to the No. 5 pick. This isn't to say the Jaguars couldn't use a big addition to the wide receiver room, but most teams are not drafting a non-No. 1 wide receiver with a top-5 pick.

With the presence of Brian Thomas Jr., that is exactly what McMillan would be in the Jaguars' offense. And if the Jaguars selected McMillan anyway, it would only signal how much the Jaguars care about improving their passing game weapons.

McMillan would not fill the Jaguars' need along the offensive line or on defense, but he would give Lawrence two towering pass-catchers who could help take his game to another level. And from everything the Jaguars have said this offseason, it certainly seems like that is their goal.

McMillan has been linked to the Jaguars now and then during the draft process, but a popular comparison for his game could be the ultimate tell about his fit with the Jaguars.

"Jaguars coach Liam Coen has long had a soft spot for wide receivers in the draft, and the top-rated wideout in this class, Arizona's Tetairoa McMillan, has drawn comparisons to ... the Bucs' Mike Evans. Coen, who coached Evans last year, knows how valuable a player like that can be to an offense," ESPN;s Adam Schefter said.

"Some have questions McMillan's passion for football, but others suggest he is misunderstood and that, when he's on a football field, "he's an absolute baller."

In terms of pure value, McMillan does not have much of a case to be the No. 5 pick later this week. But if the Jaguars want to take Lawrence to a new era of his career, picking McMillan would certainly make that message clear.

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