TUCSON, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 30: Wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan #4 of the University of Arizona Wildcats runs some pregame drills before the University of Arizona Wildcats versus the Arizona State Sun Devils football game at Arizona Stadium on November 30, 2024 in Tucson, Arizona. (Photo by Bruce Yeung/Getty Images)

Tetairoa McMillan: Size, Hype, and a Whole Lot of Questions

April 9, 2025 | Rajvir Bal | Articles

Reading Time: 4 minutes

During summer scouting, I evaluated Arizona Wildcats wide receiver (WR) Tetairoa McMillan and walked away thoroughly unimpressed, awarding him a fourth-round grade.

Now, McMillan has been mocked first round by many draft platforms, CBS, Yahoo, NFL.com, Fox Sports, Pro Football Network, 33rd Team, Barstool Sports, NBC Sports, SI, Pro Football Focus, The Athletic, and USA Today, just to name a few (nflmockdraftdatabase.com).

I circled back to his 2024 film to see if he had gotten better.

He improved, but I’m still not buying in.

Let’s get into why.

Background

McMillan was a 4-star prospect out of high school (per 247 Sports). In this report, he was called a ‘standout basketball and volleyball player [who] uses his jumping ability to routinely win jump ball battles down the field or in the red zone.’ He committed to Arizona in December of 2021.

McMillan’s Stats:

2023:

90 receptions
1,402 yards (15.6 avg.)
10 touchdowns

2024:

84 receptions
1,319 yards (15.7 avg.)
Eight touchdowns

McMillan measures in the 89th percentile for height and 88th for weight among wide receivers (per NFLDraftBuzz).

#4 Tetairoa McMillan 6-foot-4, 219 pounds
Rajvir Bal’s 2025 NFL Draft Grade: Second-Round (I would select him)
Projected by 97.4% of the NFL Draft Community to be a first-round pick as of April 9, 2025 (nflmockdraftdatabase.com)

Tetairoa McMillan Lacks What It Takes (2023: 5 games evaluated)

2024 game film reviewed: Kansas State, Utah, Colorado (click to view games watched to form this evaluation).

Big Frame

One thing that’s intriguing about McMillan is his build. He would instantly be one of the biggest WRs in the NFL.

He knows how to use his frame, consistently boxing out smaller defenders and extending above them at the catch point.

Monster Over the Middle

McMillan is in his element in the middle-of-the-field intermediate range (10-19 yards downfield). He muscles his way in front of defensive backs and uses his vice-grip hands and a wide catch radius to make tough grabs in traffic.

A high-level NFL offensive coordinator is sure to find exploitable matchups for him all over the middle of the field.

Poor Separation

Although his size helps him fight off cornerbacks, McMillan was constantly in contested catch situations because he failed to separate from defenders. This is attributable to his lackluster speed and poor route running. This may work in college football, but 50/50 jump balls won’t always go his way in the NFL, where cornerbacks are bigger, faster, and stronger.

How Well Does He Prepare?

Recently, an interview featuring McMillan went viral. “I don’t like watching film either,” McMillan said. “I don’t ever need to watch it by myself because we go over it as a receiver group.”

While some may find this to be insignificant, it’s disappointing to hear, and it certainly factors into my grading. This prospect doesn’t seem to buy into what it takes to succeed at the next level, which is concerning.

How Will He Help an Offense?

McMillan projects best as a slot receiver (the area between the offensive tackle and the outside wide receiver). Playing McMillan here would allow him to use his physicality and exploit matchups vs. smaller and weaker cornerbacks. In this role, McMillan can serve as a quarterback’s safety blanket on third downs and in tight spaces, offering chain-moving ability even if he’s not a big-play threat.

Ten Adjectives

Big. Physical. Strong. Unrefined. Slow. Limited. Disengaged. Tough. Stiff. Powerful.

NFL Crystal Ball

New York Jets

Dallas Cowboys

Seattle Seahawks

Pro Comp: Current New York Jets WR Allen Lazard (6-foot-5, 227 pounds)

Role on Team: WR2 or WR3 (500-900 yards a season)

Final Words

There’s a place for Tetairoa McMillan in the NFL—just not at the top of the draft.

McMillan’s likely will never be a true WR1, even if his frame hints at it.

Rajvir Bal is a high school student from the Virginia area. He grew up a rabid Washington Redskins fan, attending more than 30 games, and has enjoyed the team’s high points and low points throughout his life. He plays varsity football and basketball. Rajvir has taken an interest in the NFL Draft since middle school when his team picked Montez Sweat and Dwayne Haskins in the first round. His favorite NFL player ever flips between Rob Gronkowski and Brett Favre, and his favorite athlete is LeBron James. He has been writing his own scouting reports since 2020, and is excited for the opportunities FirstRoundMock provides.