Gimpy McMillan Has Future Eligibility He Might Consider Using

The UW pass-catcher has played less than half the season and he might have to sit out more games.

Two months ago in fall camp, an upbeat Jalen McMillan told media members surrounding him how he informed the coaching staff, beginning with offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, that he would return for another University of Washington football season,

The 6-foot-1, 192-pound junior wide receiver led the Huskies with 79 catches in 2022, but insisted that still wasn't enough for him to enter his name in the NFL draft.

"I said, 'Coach, I'm coming back. I don't like how the season went for me. I know there's more in the tank for me,' " McMillan said.

While his Husky football team is enjoying a run for the ages, topped by Saturday's overly satisfying 36-33 victory over Oregon, McMillan can't be pleased with how things have gone for him this fall either.

Dealing with what is appears to be a knee injury, he's played full games only against Boise State and Tulsa, not quite two quarters against Michigan State and barely two series against Oregon before he was done for the day.

"He just got tweaked a little bit of what he had before," Husky coach Kalen DeBoer said after Saturday's game before a sold-out crowd. "I don't know the severity of it."

Unfortunately for this talented pass-catcher, McMillan hasn't hauled in a pass from prolific UW quarterback Michael Penix Jr., or anyone else for that matter, for 29 days and counting now.

Jalen McMillan went through pregame drills and played a couple of series against Oregon before he was re-injured.  / Skylar Lin Visuals

His troubles began with just seconds left in the opening half at Michigan State, with his team ahead 28-0, when he went down holding his left knee and grimacing in pain.

Everyone on the UW sideline immediately became concerned. DeBoer took off his headset and headed for McMillan. Receivers coach JaMarcus Shephard went up to his wide receiver and tapped him on the helmet to show support.

After missing the California and Arizona games, McMillan came up limping badly on Saturday against Oregon shortly after the rivalry game began and he didn't return. After re-injuring his knee, he would seem doubtful for next weekend's night game against Arizona State at Husky Stadium if not more. 

Which brings us to this scenario: Should McMillan find himself watching more games than he plays this season, might he return for a fifth Husky season in 2024, to which he is entitled?

Jalen McMillan arrives with his teammates at Husky Stadium on Saturday / Skylar Lin Visuals

It could be necessary to rebuild his draft profile as an upper-echelon NFL pick. Rome Odunze will be off to the pros himself by then and McMillan logically would become the clear No. 1 receiver, though a new starting quarterback, not Penix, will be delivering the football for the Huskies next season.

As McMillan earlier replayed his decision to return this fall, he also was asked about the Huskies joining the Big Ten and acknowledged the UW surely was headed for a big-time college football platform with the opportunity to play against the Ohio States and Michigans of the world. 

As the accompany video will show, McMillan was teased about maybe returning for yet another college season, just to sample the Big Ten himself, and he played along with it. 

"Yeah, maybe, maybe," he said laughing, because it was almost an absurd suggesion back then. 

It's not now. The longer he sits out, the more he might need another season of Husky football to make himself NFL ready. Consider it an option at his disposal.

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