Tetairoa McMillan Scouting Report
By: Michael Higgins
(Image courtesy of Christopher Hook/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
School: Arizona
Class: Junior
Position: WR
HT: 6’5
WT: 210 lbs
Background: Tet McMillan is the highest ranked recruit in Arizona program history. He is a former 4-star, top 50 player in the class of 2022. McMillan is from Waimanalo, Hawai’i and played football for Servite High School in Anaheim, CA. McMillan was a top 5 player in California and a top 5 wide receiver in the country. He was the 2022 California Player of the Year and the 2021 Polynesian Player of the Year. After originally being committed to Oregon, McMillan flipped to Arizona.
College: As a freshman in 2022, McMillan appeared in every game and started 8. He led all true freshmen with 702 yards and 8 receiving touchdowns. McMillan broke out in 2023. He had 1,402 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. He was an All-American and All-Pac 12 First Team member. It was more of the same for McMillan in 2024, tallying 84 receptions for 1,319 receiving yards. Another All-American selection was paired with an All-Big 12 First Team selection.
Strengths: Tet McMillan’s combination of size and movement ability make him a near impossible assignment in a 1-on-1 situation. Route running is not usually a strength of the bigger X receivers in the NFL, but it is for McMillan. He does not telegraph his next move and cuts quickly at the break of his route to create separation. His short area quickness is notable as he can create that separation quickly. He has no wasted movements in his route, undressing and stacking cornerbacks in coverage to create leverage anywhere on the field. Despite having such a large frame, he can be utilized anywhere on the field. He is effective on the outside, in the slot, and even close to the line. He is consistently used in motion to exploit potential mismatches. At the catch point, McMillan is physical and shows his raw strength. Even if there defenders draped on him, Tet will most likely be the one to come down with the football. He does well to track the ball over his shoulder and has late hands on those deep area targets. Additionally, McMillan is an ideal run blocker. He is physical and takes pride in winning those reps.
Weaknesses: While McMillan is quick in the short and intermediate areas to create separation, he does not have that elite speed to lose defenders down the field. Without that high-end speed, McMillan needs to rely on technique to win his reps. He will not beat defenders with route running in the pros as easily, he will need to develop a more complex route tree to see the same success he has seen at Arizona.
Conclusion: Tetairoa McMillan is the best wide receiver in this draft class. His combination of size, quickness, and strength are a near impossible matchup for almost any defensive back. He will be at the top of each opponent’s scouting report. He checks just about every box and will be looked at as a WR1 immediately.
Scheme: Scheme Versatile
Ideal Role: X Receiver
Best Team Fits: NE, LVR, CAR
Player Comparison: AJ Brown
Player Grade: Round 1 (93.2)
