Arizona Wildcats Tetairoa McMillan Shooting Up Board in Recent NFL Mock Draft
The 2024 college football season has not gone according to plan for the Arizona Wildcats, who are in danger of not even being eligible for a bowl game.
With a record of 3-6, they need to defeat the Houston Cougars, TCU Horned Frogs and Arizona State Sun Devils in their last three games to even have a chance to play a bowl game. This is a far drop off from preseason projections, which had the Wildcats potentially challenging for the Big 12 championship and a spot in the College Football Playoff.
While their team goals have gone by the wayside, individual players have stood out, such as wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan.
The lack of victories has certainly not been the star pass catcher’s fault, as he is putting up some gaudy numbers this year.
Through nine games, he has caught 63 passes for 1,066 yards and six touchdowns. The yardage is leading the nation, as he has a chance to re-write the Arizona record book despite this only being his third collegiate season.
Should he stay with the Wildcats for a fourth season, he would likely set every receiving record in program history that isn’t broken this campaign. But, it will be difficult for him to turn down the NFL, especially if feedback during the pre-draft process is as promising as mock drafts are right now.
Over at The Athletic, Nick Baumgardner put together one and thinks very highly of the star receiver. He has McMillan being selected No. 2 overall by the New England Patriots.
Colorado Buffaloes two-way star Travis Hunter, who plays wide receiver and cornerback, goes first overall to the Carolina Panthers.
“Power, grace and dependability are a few ways to describe what we’ve seen from McMillan in three years at Arizona. The 6-foot-5, 212-pounder has three 10-catch games, two 200-yard games and 10 contested catches already this season (pushing his career contested catch total to a whopping 34). Drake Maye could have fun with this,” Baumgardner wrote.
The Patriots used the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on the North Carolina quarterback and early returns are positive. Once they can upgrade the supporting cast around him, his production should go to another level.
Adding a player of McMillan’s caliber would certainly suffice.
He has everything you are looking for in a No. 1 receiver at the next level. His combination of size, speed and athleticism will likely lead to a lot of Mike Evans comps, as they are nearly identical in height and weight.
If McMillan could get close to replicating the success Evans has had with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in his career, as one of the most consistently productive wide receivers in NFL history, New England would be thrilled.
