The numbers are in and fans of the Carolina Panthers are overwhelmingly in favor of general manager Dan Morgan’s decision to draft Arizona Wildcat wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan with the eighth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. This comes just one year after the team traded into the first round of the 2024 NFL draft to nab South Carolina Gamecock wide receiver Xavier Legette.
Never before have the Panthers drafted two wide receivers in back-to-back years. The team has drafted skill players in back-to-back years, most recently with Christian McCaffrey (2017, eighth overall) and D.J. Moore (2018, 24th overall), but this is a specific investment in the passing game for this team.
McMillan is in fact the fourth consecutive offensive player drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the first round of the draft. Ikem Ekwonu (sixth overall, 2022) and Bryce Young (1st overall, 2023) are also part of this unprecedented run. I know that’s a large part of why I’m so excited about McMillan.
Whether or not history plays a huge role or people just like a shiny new toy on offense, 70% of voters gave the McMillan pick and A or a B last Thursday night. I know a lot of folks were disappointed the pick wasn’t on defense, specifically an edge rusher, but I’m curious how these grades would have changed after the team took new edge rushers on Day 2 of the draft.
With only 9% of the fan base seeming actively opposed to the McMillan selection, this seems like the start of a new day of harmony and peace amongst the Panthers faithful that will definitely survive McMillan or Young’s first turnover in 2025.
Obviously the team is gambling big on Young’s continued growth as a quarterback with this selection. But it is encouraging to see the Panthers offense getting some love nationally after this. The Athletic (paywall) has a new post draft fantasy power rankings article up today that ranks two Panthers skill position players, including McMillan, in the top 60. Meanwhile, FanDuel has listed McMillan at +950 on their Offensive Rookie of the Year odds. That puts him just behind Ashton Jeanty (+270), Cameron Ward (+380), and Travis Hunter (+750).