2025 is shaping up to be a year of promise for the Carolina Panthers, and one of the reasons for that optimism is first-round pick Tetairoa McMillan. The rookie wide receiver has already started to turn heads and get rave reviews.
NFL reporter Jordan Schultz highlighted the praise that McMillan has been receiving from within the Panthers organization.
“He’s been even better than advertised — smooth, explosive, and already gaining trust from the QBs,” someone within the Panthers organization told Schultz. “You can’t take your eyes off him at practice because he’s making so many big plays.”
McMillan seems like a prime candidate to emerge as the Panthers’ number one receiver at some point this season.
Making a Good First Impression
Tetairoa McMillan has high expectations considering where he was drafted, and so far in training camp, he is living up to those expectations.
Now, McMillan, like any rookie, hasn’t been perfect. He’s had his ups and downs, but how he’s responded to those negative moments has impressed Panthers head coach Dave Canales. Anthony Rizzuti of Panthers Wire wrote about Canales’ assessment of McMillan so far.
“Just showing a lot of confidence and belief,” Canales replied. “He’s had some pretty bad plays throughout camp, and he’s had some excellent plays. When you have a guy, he’s teaching me stuff about him that I don’t know, just looking at his character. When guys bounce back quickly, it speaks to their confidence. They know they’re good, ‘I’ll do it again, I’ll be good again.‘ And that’s really powerful self-talk.”
McMillan’s ability to bounce back from a bad rep and then have an excellent rep the next play is a good omen for his rookie season. Rookies are prone to having rollercoaster first seasons, but luckily for McMillan, he’s joining a wide receiver room that suddenly has depth.
Building Out the Receiver’s Room
The emergence of Tetairoa McMillan in training camp is an encouraging sign for both the Panthers and quarterback Bryce Young.
The Panthers have done more to try and bolster the receiving room this offseason beyond just the drafting of McMillan. Also in the draft this year, the Panthers drafted Jimmy Horn Jr. out of the University of Colorado in the sixth round.
The team also picked up veteran wide receiver Hunter Renfrow after sitting out last season. Since arriving in Carolina, Renfrow has been observing how deep the Panthers’ receiving corps is becoming. Zach Roberts of Sports Illustrated transcribed Renfrow discussing the Panthers’ receivers.
“We have a really good group. I think we have a really talented group. It’s the deepest I’ve ever been around,” Renfrow said. “We have seven or eight guys that comfortably can go out there and play, and a lot of young guys that are proving they can.”
The new additions this offseason are joining Adam Thielen, who developed a strong connection with Young as the season progressed, and second-year receivers Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker.
McMillan will have a significant role within the Panthers’ offense out of the gate, so his blazing start to training camp gives the team confidence that he will be reliable and live up to the hype.
Tetairoa McMillan Receiving Glowing Reviews at Training Camp