Panthers rookie Tetairoa McMillan earns strong first NFL preseason grade from analyst

Carolina's eighth overall pick wasn't perfect, but he impressed one CBS Sports writer enough to earn a B+ grade.

Aug 16, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (4) attempts to make a reception as Houston Texans safety M.J. Stewart (29) defends during the first quarter at NRG Stadium. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The eighth overall pick in the NFL draft has been good to the Carolina Panthers. Back in 2003 it landed them the best left tackle in franchise history with Jordan Gross. It also got them the greatest running back the Panthers have ever had with Christian McCaffrey in 2017.

It's still far too early to judge, but some folks have been very impressed by what we've seen so far from their latest No. 8 overall selection, former Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan. According to Chris Trapasso at CBS Sports, McMillan earned a B+ grade for his work during the 2025 NFL preseason.

CBS gives Tetairoa McMillan B+

"Far from a lengthy audition for McMillan in the preseason -- he appeared on only 30 pass plays. On those, he caught two passes for 43 yards, and one of his snags was a classic McMillan over-the-shoulder snag near the sideline."

Jul 24, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (4) catches a pass during training camp. | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

McMillan's 29-yard catch down the sideline was enough to prove he can be an effective downfield weapon for Bryce Young, which is all that really matters.

However, McMillan also had a couple of drops, including a pretty glaring one in the end zone just a few plays later. McMillan is also dealing with a hamstring injury, which means he may not be 100% when the regular season opener rolls around next Sunday.

That being said, the Panthers have to be pretty confident in what McMillan can do at this level - otherwise they wouldn't even consider trading Adam Thielen to the Minnesota Vikings. Those talks are still ongoing, but they shouldn't be in any hurry to give him away without extracting their desired price.

In the long run, McMillan should in theory eventually replace Thielen as Carolina's new WR1. How long that takes will be a big factor in how well they do over the next few years.

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