Why Tetairoa McMillan Was Always the Right Pick for the Panthers

Many felt that the Panthers would opt for a pass rusher with the eighth pick in the 2025 NFL draft. Dan Morgan had other plans and they paid off in a big way.

Apr 24, 2025; Green Bay, WI, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell with Arizona Wildcats wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan after he is selected by the Carolina Panthers as the number eight pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Revisionist history and second-guessing usually makes for good discussions. While numerous NFL teams are beginning their mandatory minicamps for 2026, why not take a look back a little over a year ago when clubs were making their selections in the 2025 NFL draft.

Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report did just that. He took the original order of the first round entering that night, and either agreed with the choice or gave the team a new player.

He made seven changes when it came to the Top 10 selections, standing pat with quarterback Cam Ward to the Tennessee Titans at No. 1, and right end Colston Loveland to the Chicago Bears at the 10th spot. And he was also on board with Carolina Panthers’ general manager Dan Morgan opting for University of Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan with the eighth overall pick.

Carolina Panthers nailed their first-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft

Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

“It didn't long for McMillan to emerge as Bryce Young's No. 1 target in Carolina,” explained Davenport. “In his second professional game, McMillan caught six of 10 targets for 100 yards. By season's end, McMillan led the Panthers across the board in receiving stats, hauling in 70 of 122 targets for 1,014 yards and seven scores on the way to winning Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.”

Here’s a reminder of just how much of an upgrade that the former Wildcat was to the Panthers’ wide receiver room. In 2024, Carolina was the only team in the league not to have a player catch at least 50 passes. While 2024 first-round pick Xavier Legette led Dave Canales’s team with 49 receptions, veteran Adam Thielen posted team highs in receiving yards (615) and TD catches (5).

Panthers made the right choice passing on pass-rusher Jalon Walker

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During the months leading up to the 2025 draft, conventional wisdom had Morgan opting for pass-rushing help and the popular name was University of Georgia standout Jalon Walker. As if turned out, he lasted until the 15th overall pick and was scooped up by the Atlanta Falcons.

To be fair, the former Bulldog did make his presence felt, totaling 33 defensive stops, 5.5 sacks, nine quarterback hits, a pair of forced fumbles and one fumble recovery in 15 games (9 starts).

Panthers’ WR Tetairoa McMillan was a reliable performer as a rookie

Of course, McMillan was a 17-game starter for the eventual NFC South champion Panthers. He also opened for Canales’s team in the playoff clash with the Rams, snaring five passes for 81 yards in the team’s disappointing 34-31 loss to Sean McVay’s club. His seven total touchdowns tied for the team lead with running back Rico Dowdle.

Rams-Panthers is BONKERS!

Bryce Young to Tetairoa McMillan for the big-play TD on 4th-and-2 to get the lead back.

Adam Amin and Drew Brees have the call for Fox. 🏈🎙️ #NFL pic.twitter.com/3pYs1V2xA4

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 30, 2025

And the best may be yet to come for the 6/5”, 212-pound target. After catching just two TD passes in his first 10 games during his rookie campaign (both in a Week 6 win over the Dallas Cowboys), McMillan found the end zone five times in the Panthers’ final seven regular-season outings.