2025 NFL Draft prospect profile – Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona

McMillan probably won’t be a Giant, but could he land with a division rival?

The 2025 NFL Draft is an unconventional one because it is incredibly deep and talented, but not at many of the most valuable positions. The receiver class, in particular, isn’t very highly regarded.

That said, there’s still talented receivers in the draft, even if their appeal will be more scheme and fit dependent. Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (pronounced Tet-er-oh-ah) is generally considered the top pure wide receiver in the class, and one of the broadest fits.

McMillan likely won’t be a target of the New York Giants, however he’s pretty commonly linked to the Dallas Cowboys.

The Giants should probably be familiar with him if they could be playing him twice a year for the next five seasons.

Prospect: Tetairoa McMillan (4)
Games Watched: vs. Washington (2023), vs. Kansas State (2024), vs. Utah (2024), vs. Colorado (2024)

Measurables

Kent Lee Platte | RAS.football

Strengths

Best traits

• Size
• Football IQ
• Body control
• Ball skills
• Competitive toughness

Tetairoa McMillan is a big, athletic, smart, and versatile receiver prospect.

McMillan has great size for the position at 6-foot-4, 219 pounds, yet retains good athleticism for his size. Like most tall receivers, his speed is definitely of the “build-up” variety, however he can pick up significant yardage once he’s able to lengthen his stride. But unlike many big receivers, McMillan has a surprisingly fluid lower body which allows him to drop his hips and lower his center of gravity while cutting or breaking. That fluidity lets him execute sharply breaking routes, come-backs, or pivot routes much more easily than most receivers his size.

McMillan is a good, reliable route runner who is typically where he’s supposed to be, when he’s supposed to be there. He has fantastic field awareness, as well as a good understanding of both the route concept and coverage scheme. He excels at manipulating his route stems to create space for himself, on the way to finding the soft spots in coverage zones.

His fluidity also contributes to impressive body control. McMillan does a great job of extending and contorting his body to maximize his catch radius as well as haul in awkwardly placed passes. He has big, soft hands and consistently tries to pluck the ball out of the air, regardless of where it is in his (sizable) catch radius.

McMillan puts his size and route running to good use in contested catch situations, using his frame to shield the ball from defenders, as well as his catch radius to make plays over or around them. He’s also a willing blocker for his teammates, using his size to slow defenders down or create traffic down the field.

Weaknesses

Worst traits

• Acceleration
• Short area quickness

McMillan’s primary limitation is his pedestrian acceleration, which impacts several areas of his game.

Most notably, McMillan struggles to really explode off the line of scrimmage or out of his breaks. He’s capable of breaking sharply – particularly for a big receiver – however there’s a noticeable gear-down and speed-up period as he gets in and out of his breaks. That can make it relatively easy for athletic or skilled corners to stay with him in tight coverage. Likewise, that lack of suddenness can make it difficult for McMillan to separate from tight coverage.

It also impacts his overall speed and ability to stress the defense vertically or pick up yardage with the ball in his hands. He has good speed in the open field once he can lengthen his stride, however the build-up nature of his speed means that he’s vulnerable to tackles early as a ball carrier. Likewise, he won’t run away from defenders on intermediate routes.

Game Tape

Projection

Tetairoa McMillan projects as a starting receiver at the NFL level.

He’s versatile enough to play in a variety of offensive schemes and be a threat at all three levels of the field. He also has experience playing the X, slot, and Z positions and should be able to do so at the NFL level.

McMillan should be a high-volume pass catcher early in his career who can keep an offense on schedule as well as generate big plays. He might not be an overwhelming athlete, but his blend of size, body control, and fluidity can be a dangerous combination as he continues to hone his craft as a technician.

Does he fit the Giants?
Yes, though value makes it unlikely.

Final Word: A first round talent