Chosen with the eighth general choose within the 2025 NFL Draft out of Arizona, All-American receiver Tetairoa McMillan is settling in with the Carolina Panthers as one of many extra thrilling rookies on this yr’s class.
He is already had a rookie minicamp to get his bearings in Charlotte, confirmed off his No. 4 jersey and began constructing a rapport with new teammates, particularly third-year quarterback Bryce Young. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound receiver took a couple of minutes to speak with FOX Sports activities about how he is getting ready for his NFL debut and the way significantly better the Panthers might be in 2025.
FOX Sports activities: You have signed on, if you’ll, with Sharpie, and acquired to place your autograph expertise to full use on the NFLPA Rookie Premiere occasion in Los Angeles. Have you ever perfected that NFL autograph already?
McMillan: I really modified my signature as soon as I acquired to the league. It type of appears to be like like a star.
FOX Sports activities: What was rookie minicamp like for you, to get that first style of the NFL, even when it is simply in opposition to different rookies?
McMillan: I might undoubtedly say that was a dope second. That was most likely one of many first instances the place it felt actual. Going by way of the entire draft course of the final 4 or 5 months, then lastly attending to placed on a jersey and exit to the observe subject. It was a blessing. I am simply wanting ahead to competing vs. the protection and getting acclimated with the folks within the constructing, my teammates, the coaches, in addition to the playbook.
FOX Sports activities: What are your first impressions of your new head coach, Dave Canales?
McMillan: Man, I like him. I really feel like I am a bit biased, simply because he is a Cali child like me. Simply the issues that he is carried out, his résumé, what he is carried out with large X receivers, I can see myself within the offense that he runs, and I am loving it to this point. I am trusting him and his plan that he has set for me and his workforce. I am excited to see what the longer term holds for us.
FOX Sports activities: He labored with DK Metcalf in Seattle after which Mike Evans in Tampa, and now he has an enormous receiver in Carolina with you there. Have you ever watched a lot tape of these two to see how he labored with them prior to now?
McMillan: We clearly go over set up, they usually have clips from Seattle and Tampa, and all these clips that he pulls up, he desires us to look at. He is aware of the totally different appears to be like and alternative ways to run totally different ideas, however sure, I am watcing a number of these two the final couple days.
FOX Sports activities: You may hear folks shorten your first title to “Tet.” What do you prefer to be known as?
McMillan: Individuals both name me T-Mac or Nalo (brief for his hometown in Hawaii, Waimānalo). That is the place I am from in Hawaii, type of a factor that began with my boys in school, so I simply roll with it.
Tetairoa McMillan led the nation with 1,319 receiving yards final season, incomes All-America honors. (Photograph by Christopher Hook/Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Photographs)
FOX Sports activities: Whenever you take a look at different receivers within the league, are there guys you sample your self after, guys with comparable physique sorts or talent units?
McMillan: There’s not anybody particularly that I watch, however I am certain I will be watching much more DK Metcalf and Mike Evans within the close to future, so I would as effectively get used to them.
FOX Sports activities: You picked No. 4 on your NFL jersey quantity, the identical quantity you wore in highschool in Anaheim and in school at Arizona. Is there any significance to the quantity?
McMillan: I began carrying it my sophomore yr of highschool. The primary quantity I needed was 11, however one of many seniors had it, so I simply type of went with 4, as a result of it was the one possibility open. And , ever since then, I like to consider it because the variety of me. It is like a relationship — it has been loyal to me and I’ll attempt my greatest to remain loyal to No. 4. I’ll take it so far as I presumably can.
McMillan posed along with his No. 4 jersey on the NFLPA Rookie Premiere occasion in mid-Could. (Colin Younger-Wolff/AP Content material Providers for NFLPA)
FOX Sports activities: You have joined a reasonably younger receiver room — Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker are second-year guys, Jimmy Horn is a rookie such as you — however you even have veteran guys to assist mentor the youthful receivers.
McMillan: I like our room proper now. We’ve got a bit little bit of each, a number of younger receivers, however then we even have the oldest receiver within the league in Adam Thielen. He is type of that function mannequin for us. He is happening Yr 13, and never too many individuals get to play 13 years within the league.
I am simply glad I acquired in a room the place there is a vet I can look as much as and we will all look as much as. There’s a number of knowledge, a number of information that we have by no means skilled. … Him being an excellent affect and function mannequin to all of the receivers within the room, that is a blessing for us.
FOX Sports activities: Are there different guys that you simply skilled with within the draft course of who’re rookies across the league now going by way of the identical issues you might be?
McMillan: I used to be coaching with Emeka (Egbuka, Bucs first-round choose), coaching with Ja’Corey (Brooks, now with the Commanders), and I skilled with Elic Ayomanor, with the Titans. That was at Exos in Scottsdale, Arizona.
FOX Sports activities: Did you take pleasure in the entire draft course of?
McMillan: Yeah, it is a blessing. On the finish of the day, not many individuals get to undergo that course of. It will get repetitive. There’s a number of touring. The irritating half for me was simply, I needed to search out out who, what jersey I get to placed on, who I get to play for. I am simply comfortable that I discovered, and comfortable that it is right here.
FOX Sports activities: I used to be taking a look at Carolina’s rookie receiving data, they usually’re all inside attain for you. The Panthers have had just one 1,000-yard rookie receiver, Kelvin Benjamin in 2014 — he had 1,008 yards. The rookie report for touchdowns is 9 and is his as effectively, and the rookie report for catches is 80, from Christian McCaffrey in 2017. Would it not imply one thing to you for those who acquired any of these?
McMillan: Data are purported to be damaged. On the finish of the day, I simply need to do what the workforce wants me to do. I am wanting ahead to successful a number of video games and bringing mild and pleasure again to Financial institution of America Stadium, to the folks of Charlotte. I am prepared simply to have enjoyable and get the present on the highway.
FOX Sports activities: What would a profitable season imply for Carolina this yr? Two years in the past, the Panthers have been selecting No. 1 general to get Bryce. Final yr they improved to 5 wins, and lots of people suppose they’ll take one other step ahead along with your assist this yr.
McMillan: I believe there’s a number of issues that may occur with us. I believe the longer term is tremendous vibrant for this workforce. It is my first time within the league, so I do not know what an excellent workforce and what a nasty workforce appear like. I do know that Bryce might be that man at quarterback, I do know we’ve got a terrific O-line, I do know our operating again room is de facto strong, with Chuba (Hubbard) and Rico (Dowdle).
The receiver room, we’re younger however we even have some savviness to us. And clearly, the defensive aspect of the ball, we have got some actual good dudes, Jaycee (Horn) at nook. I am wanting ahead to battles with him in observe. I believe the sky is the restrict for us, particularly offensively. I believe the scheme we’ve got, the offense we’re operating, is legit, and we’ve got the fellows to exit and execute.
FOX Sports activities: What are you able to give attention to between now and the beginning of your first NFL coaching camp in July?
McMillan: It is simply studying the playbook just like the again of my hand, so I can simply go on the market and play free, play quick. I need to construct a relationship with my teammates and coaches. These are the fellows I’ll play with, and particularly Bryce. He is the man who’s going to dictate my future. Having the ability to prepare with him and construct that chemistry, that is a should, for certain.
FOX Sports activities: You performed in opposition to Bryce Younger in highschool in California?
McMillan: Man, he blew us up by 45 factors.
FOX Sports activities: You simply did the Rookie Premiere occasion in Los Angeles, which might imply signing a ton of rookie playing cards. Did they allow you to personalize any of the autographs?
McMillan: That was a dope expertise. I believe there have been some the place I put “KEEP POUNDING” and stuff like that.
FOX Sports activities: It has been a whirlwind few months for you. What’s been your favourite half to this point?
McMillan: Clearly, No. 1 is signing my rookie contract, for certain. I used to be lucky to signal my first-ever NFL contract with a Sharpie S-Gel pen, and I am wanting ahead to signing extra autographs and extra signatures, extra contracts with my Sharpies.
Greg Auman is an NFL Reporter for FOX Sports activities. He beforehand spent a decade protecting the Buccaneers for the Tampa Bay Instances and The Athletic. You possibly can observe him on Twitter at @gregauman.
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