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2025 NFL Draft Prospect Profiles: Tetairoa McMillan (Arizona Wildcats)

Writer's picture: Alec ElijahAlec Elijah

Tetairoa McMillan entered college as a five-star recruit, and he lived up to every bit of his potential during his time at Arizona. After two productive seasons, he took his game to another level in 2024, earning First-Team All-American honors while solidifying himself as one of the best receivers in this draft class.


Tetairoa McMillan
Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Collegiate Career & Production

McMillan departs Arizona as the program’s all-time leader in receiving yards (3,423), proving to be an elite playmaker and consistent target in the Wildcats' offense.

  • Career Stats:

    • 3,423 receiving yards, the most in Arizona history

    • 26 receiving touchdowns

    • Back-to-back 1,300+ yard seasons

    • Averaged 15.7 yards per catch in his final season


McMillan’s ability to dominate one-on-one matchups and make tough catches in traffic made him one of the most dangerous receiving threats in college football.


Strengths

  • Elite Size & Length: At 6’5”, McMillan presents a huge catch radius, making him a dangerous red-zone threat.

  • Ball Skills: Tracks the ball exceptionally well on deep routes and times his jumps perfectly to high-point passes.

  • Versatility: Can line up as an X-receiver or in the slot, allowing him to be used creatively in offensive schemes.

  • Route Running: Has a well-developed route tree for a deep threat, running sharp in-breaking routes and adjusting well to zone coverages.

  • Separation Ability: Uses a combination of footwork, length, and body positioning to consistently beat defenders.

  • YAC Potential: For a big receiver, he moves well in space and can generate extra yardage after the catch.

  • Big-Game Performer: Produced in high-pressure moments, showing strong hands and reliability in contested situations.


Areas for Improvement

  • Play Strength: Needs to add muscle to handle more physical NFL corners at the line of scrimmage.

  • Top-End Speed: He doesn’t have elite burner speed, though his long strides allow him to separate deep.

  • Blocking Consistency: Can improve as a run-blocker, especially in outside-zone concepts.

  • Press Coverage Refinement: While he wins with length and technique, he must develop better hand usage against aggressive defenders.


Tetairoa McMillan
Photo via Arizona Athletics

Final Takeaway

McMillan’s combination of size, ball skills, and route-running makes him an ideal fit for a team needing a big-bodied WR1 or WR2 who can win contested catches and work the boundary. He projects best in a vertical passing offense that utilizes big-bodied targets downfield and in the red zone.


He has all the tools to develop into an All-Pro caliber receiver at the next level. His size, route-running, and ball-tracking ability make him a matchup nightmare, and if he lands in the right system with a creative offensive coordinator, he has the potential to become a dominant WR1 in the NFL.

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