The Arizona Wildcats might just have the best receiver in all of college football when it comes to Tetairoa McMillan, and he is starting to be heavily noticed by the NFL as well.
In just three games so far this season, McMillan already has 23 receptions for 453 yards and four touchdowns, largely due to huge games in weeks one and three against New Mexico and Kansas State, respectively. Despite the blowout loss to the Wildcats this past weekend, McMillan racked up 11 receptions for 138 yards, but it was week one that reminded the nation how good he is.
In a 61-39 victory over New Mexico, McMillan had 10 catches for a school record 304 yards along with four scores in what was one of the most dominating performances for a wide receiver in recent college football history.
As a result of the hot start as well as his sophomore 2023 season where he caught 90 passes for over 1,400 and 10 touchdowns, The Draft Network mocked McMillan as the No. 4 overall selection to the Denver Broncos in next April’s upcoming NFL Draft.
“A fluid route-runner with even better hands, Tetairoa McMillan’s combination of both floor and ceiling remains highly intriguing,” Ryan Fowler wrote in the mock. “In this spot, he immediately becomes Bo Nix’s top target and a piece for both the now and future in Denver.”
If McMillan were to be drafted that highly, he would become the earliest selected Wildcat in program history. Currently, Arizona has four top-ten picks all time, but none higher than Ricky Hunley (No. 7 overall to the Cincinnati Bengals in 1984). He would also become just the 12th first-rounder since 1939 and first top-ten selection since Chris McAlister in 1999 (No. 10, Baltimore Ravens).
McMillan is every bit good enough to be the first receiver taken in the 2025 NFL Draft, but a strong rest of the season in which he also stays healthy would go a long way towards securing that. Though he is just a junior, Wildcats fans should enjoy McMillan while he is in Tucson, because it does not seem like it will be for much longer.