The Carolina Panthers have needed a deep threat for a while. Bryce Young’s deep ball has been pretty good, even great as of late, in the NFL, but the Panthers have not had a weapon fully equipped to take advantage of that.
They did draft Tetairoa McMillan, but a big-bodied receiver like him (6’4″) would’ve made sense as a jump ball target in the red zone. But through 15 games of his rookie season, he’s been exceptional at stretching the field.
Tetairoa McMillan’s downfield game has revolutionized the Panthers
Dec 21, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (4) with the ball in the third quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Tetairoa McMillan, by every possible metric, is having a phenomenal rookie season. He’s in line for the Rookie of the Year award, and it’s hard to see him losing it.
There are a number of reasons why, but perhaps one that stands out is his ability on deep passes. When targeted downfield, PFF claims that McMillan is already a top-10 wide receiver.
“The 22-year-old continues to shine downfield (passes of 10-plus yards), where he now ranks 10th in PFF receiving grade (93.2). He has caught 31 of 62 such targets for 644 yards, while five of his seven scores have come on 10-plus-yard throws,” analyst Lauren Gray wrote.
In general, McMillan’s been impressive. He’s struggled with drops, even admitting to those problems publicly, but otherwise, he’s been incredible. He broke out of a recent dry spell in a big way on Sunday.
“McMillan made four catches of 10-plus yards and finished with the seventh-best PFF receiving grade for the week (84.2),” Gray noted.
The wide receiver isn’t just a great player for a rookie. He’s one of the NFL’s best wide receivers already, which is exactly what the Panthers needed.
McMillan leads all rookie receivers in catches (65) heading into Week 17, and he is a top-15 wide receiver overall in receiving yards (924),” Gray pointed out. “McMillan currently sits in the top 10 in touchdowns (seven), first downs (51), explosive plays (28) and catches of 20-plus yards (16).”
Dec 21, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) celebrates with wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (4) after a play during the first half against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
In short, McMillan excels in a lot of ways, but his downfield prowess has opened things up for Bryce Young and the Panthers.
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