The story from the Cleveland Browns’ 30-10 preseason victory over the Carolina Panthers on Friday night was clearly rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders. The No. 144 overall pick threw two touchdowns for the Browns and made quite the impression on the NFL world. However, there was another rookie that showed out as well.
Tetairoa McMillan, the Panthers’ No. 8 overall pick, flashed his ability as a perimeter threat in Carolina’s offense, catching two passes for 43 yards. While McMillan did drop a touchdown on a ball Bryce Young threw with incredible anticipation, he also reeled in a 30-yard catch that sparked the Panthers’ lone touchdown drive of the night.
“That’s what we’re counting on. That’s why he’s here,” Panthers coach Dave Canales said, per NFL.com. “Stretch the field, play big, and that was a sign of good things.”
Young was also impressed by the highlight-reel catch and expressed the utmost confidence in his new weapon.
“I have a ton of trust and confidence in him,” Young said. “He did a great job of pulling his line and giving me a spot to throw the ball. It was a great catch. It’s a lot harder than I’m sure it looked, so he did a great job on that. I have all the confidence in the world in him.”
McMillan was named a consensus All-American in his final season at Arizona after catching 84 passes for 1,319 yards and eight touchdowns. His 3,423 career yards set a program record and were the most in the FBS from 2022-24. McMillan also proved his prowess as a deep-ball target, recording the most receptions of 20-plus air yards in the FBS over the course of his collegiate career.
McMillan is a key player when it comes to Carolina reaching its ceiling in 2025. Young ended the 2024 campaign on a heater, scoring 10 total touchdowns compared to zero turnovers in the final three games of the season. After early struggles resulted in Young’s benching last year, it appears the former No. 1 overall pick has got his swagger back, and he should feel more comfortable with a new 6-foot-5 No. 1 wide receiver.
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