Arizona’s McMillan named Big 12’s best offensive NFL Draft prospect by PFF’s Sikkema
Jul 9, 2024, 12:09 PM | Updated: 12:09 pm
Wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan #4 of the Arizona Wildcats runs with the football after a reception past defensive back Chris Edmonds #5 of the Arizona State Sun Devils during the first half of the NCAAF game at Mountain America Stadium on November 25, 2023 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan’s play through two college seasons put him in the middle of the NFL Draft radar.
Multiple outlets projected McMillan to be a first-round pick in the 2025 draft. As Arizona gears up to begin a fresh start in the Big 12, Pro Football Focus’ Trevor Sikkema believes he’s the best NFL prospect in the Wildcats’ new conference.
The 6-foot-5, 210-pound McMillan made some of the best plays of any receiver in college football last season. His 87.4 PFF overall grade and 89.1 receiving grade were both the highest marks at the position in the new-look Big 12. Though he lacks some separating ability as a big receiver, he hauled in 18 contested catches in 2023, and some were jaw-dropping. He will bring WR1 potential to the pro level.
It says a bit that McMillan is viewed as the best NFL prospect on the offensive side of the ball for the 2024 Big 12 season. It’s not him but Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon picked as the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year in a preseason media poll.
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But as an NFL prospect, McMillan has juice. He is ranked ninth on PFF’s 2025 NFL Draft big board and is rated as the second-highest receiver on the list with Missouri’s Luther Burden III landing at seventh. Colorado cornerback and receiver Travis Hunter is right behind McMillan at 10th.
McMillan is coming off a dominant sophomore season with the Wildcats where he posted 90 receptions for 1,402 yards and 10 touchdowns. His most notable performance came against Arizona State in the Territorial Cup where he torched the Sun Devils for a career-high 11 receptions and 266 receiving yards.
In the 97-year history of the Territorial Cup, no player has ever had over 200 yards receiving in the matchup until McMillan.
As he enters his junior year, McMillan’s chances for another breakout campaign are high. With the departure of wide receiver Jacob Cowing, who was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2024 NFL Draft, McMillan should look to get a larger share of targets from quarterback Noah Fifita.
Besides a new beginning in a new conference, Arizona will also begin a new era under head coach Brent Brennan. Former head coach Jedd Fisch left to become the next head man for Washington shortly after Arizona’s victory over Oklahoma in the Alamo Bowl. Fisch spent three seasons as Wildcats head coach.
Arizona will kick off its season versus New Mexico on Aug 31.
