Tetairoa McMillan gets bad news on his draft stock as Arizona WR sees suprising slide in latest mock
On Wednesday, ESPN NFL insider and analyst Peter Schrager released his 2025 NFL Mock draft, where he projected that Arizona Wildcats star wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan would fall outside of the first 18 picks.
With the No. 19 overall pick of the 2025 NFL draft, McMillan was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
As Schrager noted:
"The all-world athlete would be the perfect addition to a wide receiver room with a mix of veterans and young players. The Bucs love Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, and Jalen McMillan is coming off a solid rookie year. McMillan would be the perfect student for the veterans to teach."
In recent weeks, McMillan has seen his 2025 NFL draft stock jump and fall in various mock drafts. Some insiders view McMillan as a top-five pick in their projection, while others have him out of the top 15.
As a result, it is difficult to predict where McMillan will end up.
Is Tampa Bay a good fit for Tetairoa McMillan?
The Buccaneers adding a wide receiver is an interesting decision and one that may not fully make sense for the organization. Although Mike Evans and Chris Godwin are veteran players with a decent injury history, they are both expected to be a part of the franchise for at least the next year or two.
Tetairoa McMillan is a Day 1 starter at the NFL level and should be featuring in a prominent role for any franchise that he is selected by, something that would likely not be the case in Tampa Bay.
In 2024, McMillan had 84 receptions for 1,319 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns. He was the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year in 2024, as well as a Consensus All-American and a First-team All-Big 12 for the Wildcats.
As a result, although Tampa Bay may want to add to their receiving room to ensure the team is set up for the long-term, it is unclear whether the Buccaneers present the best situation for Tetairoa McMillan to consistently play and get offensive snaps in 2025.