NFL insider has great take on Panthers rookie Tetairoa McMillan

The rookie has been pretty great so far.

Sep 21, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (4) runs on to the field before the game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Imagine life without Tetairoa McMillan. Had the Carolina Panthers not made the risky move to select the wide receiver and instead gone with Jalon Walker or another edge rusher, the Panthers' offense would be in utter shambles.

For the most part, the passing attack has been Bryce Young looking McMillan's way and, more often than not, finding success that way. He's been so impactful that Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated ranked him the second-best rookie behind Emeka Egbuka.

SI analyst hypes up Tetairoa McMillan

Sep 14, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (4) runs with the ball during the first quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Tetairoa McMillan certainly isn't the frontrunner for Offensive Rookie of the Year, but he's absolutely in the running right now. He probably only trails Emeka Egbuka for now, but Egbuka has been incredible.

Albert Breer said that McMillan's quarterback is a "work in progress," but noted that the first-round pick certainly looks like a star so far. The eye test would back that claim up, and the production has been solid.

"Taken with the No. 8 pick, McMillan has racked up 216 yards on 14 receptions, albeit on 27 targets. While the efficiency hasn’t been there at times (although that’s more on Young than it is McMillan), the production certainly has been," Breer said.

It's worth noting that it's certainly not all on Young. McMillan had two drops on Sunday and a third that would've been a difficult one-handed grab that still clanged off McMillan's fingertips. To place all the blame on the quarterback in this situation is not fair or accurate.

"McMillan has also been without much help to pull coverage away. After trading veteran Adam Thielen to the Vikings before the season, general manager Dan Morgan essentially left the receiving corps in the hands of McMillan and second-year man Xavier Legette," Breer went on.

That leaves McMillan mostly by himself, but he's thrived so far. He's the only pass-catcher on the roster with over 100 yards, and with Young throwing for over 200 yards per game, that's a fairly impressive feat. It's been McMillan or bust for Young, and that may not be a viable strategy, it is showcasing how good the rookie wideout already is.

McMillan looks the part, too. Aside from a couple of drops and a few attempts that only a handful of players could ever make the play on, he's been reliable, consistent, and good. Good things happen when Young looks McMillan's way, and that's not true of almost anyone else.