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If there was ever an ideal time for Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan to salvage his rookie season, it’s now.
McMillan, somehow, was up to the task.
The Buccaneers’ third round pick out of the University of Washington turned his season around with 4 receptions for 59 yards and 2 touchdowns in the Buccaneers’ 28-13 win over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 14.
McMillan hadn’t scored a touchdown — his only touchdown before Week 14 — since a Week 1 win over the Washington Commanders and entered the game against the Raiders with just 13 receptions for 145 yards and had missed 4 games with injuries.
The win improved the Buccaneers to 7-6 and put them alone in first place in the NFC South Division with McMillan as one of several unlikely heroes alongside Sterling Shepard (4 receptions, 63 yards) and Rachaad White (109 yards total offense, 1 touchdown).
“McMillan, who turned 23 on Saturday, opened the scoring against the Raiders by slipping between a pair of defenders to pull in a 15-yard TD catch from Baker Mayfield with 8:07 played in the game,” Sports Illustrated’s Dan Raley wrote. “In a one-score game, McMillan caught a screen pass and zipped 29 yards to the end zone with just 1:56 left to play, high-stepping over the goal line, to wrap up the game.”
McMillan Had Big Opportunity With Godwin Out
McMillan’s “Better Late Than Never” routine against the Raiders came after 2 months of opportunities to solidify his role in the offense following a season-ending injury to veteran wide receiver Chris Godwin in a Week 7 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
McMillan’s breakout game might portend good things to come. The Buccaneers have arguably the NFL’s easiest schedule down the stretch with back-to-back road games against the Los Angeles Chargers and Dallas Cowboys before returning home to face the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints to end the regular season.
McMillan Created Plenty of Buzz in Preseason
McMillan seemed on track to have a big rookie season after standout performances during preseason workouts and training camp.
On August 8, CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards put the 6-foot-1, 197-pound wide receiver on his list of NFL “Rookies to Watch” in the preseason.
“He was picked No. 92 overall but concluded the process as my No. 49 overall prospect,” Edwards wrote. “The Washington product has stood out early in training camp by all accounts. He does a good job getting himself open but is also committed to blocking for his teammates in the event that the ball does not come his way. Given the presence of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, McMillan should have opportunities to win 1-on-1 matchups.”
McMillan led the Huskies in receiving in 2021 then finished second on the team with 79 receptions for 1,098 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns in 2022 and made honorable mention All-Pac-12.
In 2023, McMillan was on the preseason Biletnikoff Award watch list, preseason All-Pac-12 and preseason All-American but was injured in Week 3 and missed 4 games before returning to help the Huskies make a run to the Pac-12 title and a berth in the College Football Playoff national championship game, where he scored a touchdown in a loss to Michigan.
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