The Carolina Panthers‘ all-time leading receiver doesn’t seem to be a fan of one of the team’s newest receivers . . . at least not yet.
Franchise great Steve Smith Sr., on the latest offering from his 89 podcast, reviewed how the 2025 NFL draft’s wideout class ultimately broke down. After touching on No. 2 overall pick Travis Hunter, Smith turned his focus to Carolina’s pick at No. 8—Tetairoa McMillan.
But Smith, like many folks, had believed that selection was going to be used on the other side of the ball.
“I understand getting it because it’s a need,” he stated of drafting a wide receiver. “What I was shocked at was there were a little bit more impactful players on defense that I thought you needed to help calm the offensive storm that is mounted on [quarterback] Bryce Young and Coach [Dave] Canales on the Carolina Panthers.
“What I thought, and what some coaches in that draft room thought, was like, ‘Yo, this is not what we talked about a few hours before the draft.”
Smith, of course, is referencing the historically-bad Panthers defense—which set a new single-season record for points allowed (534) in 2024. Their ineffectiveness against the run and inability to generate a pass rush had most thinking they’d opt for a defender—mainly University of Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker.
Instead, the choice was McMillan—who, according to Smith, will be another possession receiver in a group already full of possession receivers.
“You drafted what you already had in the room,” he said. “And I was shocked when you have a Matthew Golden with speed. I mean, you had [Jayden] Higgins, who went later.”
Smith had McMillan ranked as the second-best receiver in the class, behind Golden.
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