Carolina Coach Reveals What Sets Tetairoa McMillan Apart

Carolina’s WR coach breaks down McMillan’s strengths, where he must grow, and why his development could define Bryce Young’s 2025 season.

When the Carolina Panthers selected Tetairoa McMillan with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the move raised eyebrows, not for lack of talent, but because of the challenge ahead. McMillan, a standout at Arizona, dominated college football with highlight-reel grabs and elite catch radius. But according to Panthers wide receivers coach Rob Moore, college success isn’t the ticket to Sunday stardom.

“He’s gotten away with it in college because he has that kind of radius and the ability to make fantastic catches,” Moore told ESPN’s David Newton. “That’s an area that we will work on to improve, because he does have transition ability, ability to create separation.”

The message is clear: McMillan can’t rely solely on his physical gifts in the NFL. At 6’5” and 210 pounds, he has the size to bully smaller corners, but the league is full of defensive backs who match him inch for inch. Separation becomes the currency, and speed isn’t McMillan’s calling card.

His 4.57-second 40-yard dash isn’t elite by NFL standards, but Moore isn’t asking McMillan to be a burner. He’s focused on the short game. Quick cuts, clean breaks, and route precision. If he can improve his short-area quickness and sharpen his breaks, he should be able to find the space he needs to help Bryce Young move the chains.

Still, what Moore sees behind the scenes may be even more promising. McMillan has turned heads in rookie minicamp not just with flashes of talent, but with consistent intensity. Moore praised his mental approach, saying McMillan is “locked in on every play,” a trait Moore believes sets pros apart from prospects.

Panthers fans have heard this tune before. Last year’s first-rounder Xavier Legette struggled to adjust, leaving Carolina still searching for a true WR1. McMillan has the tools and the coaching. The question is, will he be the one to break through?