Panthers' Tetairoa McMillan Has a Long Way to Go to Reach NFL's Elite WRs

The Carolina Panthers are probably thrilled with what Tetairoa McMillan brought to the table last year. He won Rookie of the Year, so there was not much he could have done better as a rookie, even if there were issues that are likely to iron themselves out.

However, there is a gap between McMillan and the top WRs in the NFL. It looks like one day, McMillan will join them. But for now, there is a big difference between McMillan and the likes of Puka Nacua, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and others. The gap is not huge, though.

Tetairoa McMillan is not elite yet, but he's on the way

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (4) makes a catch during the first day of mini camp | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Earlier today, Tetairoa McMillan, unsurprisingly, did not rank within the top 10 wide receivers as voted by NFL executives, scouts, and coaches. He also didn't earn an honorable mention or receive a top-10 vote whatsoever.

Simply put, he's not on that level yet. But he's close to it. If you include the honorable mentions, the ESPN article essentially listed the top 16, and if you add up those who received a vote at all, it ends up being the top 26 wide receivers.

PFF's rank was 23, so McMillan factors right into the fringe of that group. He's on the cusp of greatness, but he has a way to go to catch those elite wide receivers. No one's going to compare him to Ja'Marr Chase or George Pickens just yet.

Analysts Dalton Wasserman and Max Chadwick broke it down: "McMillan was exactly what the Panthers hoped for when they selected him with the No. 8 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft."

They continued, "He won Offensive Rookie of the Year and ranked sixth in the NFL with 55 receptions that resulted in either a first down or a touchdown. McMillan can improve by using his 6-foot-5 frame to his advantage, as he caught just 7 of his 23 contested targets as a rookie."

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (4) reacts in the first half | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Therein lies the next level for McMillan. We've covered the struggles from his excellent but imperfect rookie season, including the drops and the contested catch issues. If he can eliminate that, and it certainly looks like he can, then he should rank a lot higher next year.

McMillan was great in an admittedly lackluster passing offense with some glaring holes in his game. As long as Bryce Young continues to evolve and look his way and McMillan shores up the holes, he will surely be on his way to top-10 status.

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