Tampa Bay Buccaneers Wide Receivers Talk Mentorship Amid First Week of Training Camp

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receivers room has plenty of knowledge to spread.

Jul 25, 2024; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan (15) works out during training camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports / Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers didn't have the loudest offseason amongst the 32 NFL teams, but they did have a successful one, quietly putting together a solid free agency and NFL draft.

One of those draft pieces, their 92nd overall pick in WR Jalen McMillan is looking to make a name for himself after showing off his skills for the Washington Huskies the past few seasons. McMillan was drafted in the third round and is likely competing with fellow WR Trey Palmer for the Buccaneers' third WR spot.

Following Thursday's training camp practice, the rookie wideout spoke to the media about his hot start to training camp, where he deflected to discussing learning from veteran teammates and his position coach.

"I'm just taking in everything that Chris [Godwin] and Mike [Evans] are teaching me and everything 'B-Mac' (Wide Receivers coach Bryan McClendon) is teaching me, so [I'm] just being levelheaded and staying confident in my abilities," McMillan said.

READ MORE: Buccaneers Rookie Wide Receiver Wants To Earn Baker Mayfield's Trust in Training Camp

You will find it pretty hard to learn from a better pair of players than Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Going all in on receiving advice from players who are established in the league will get you places, but it doesn't seem like X's and O's are the only advice that Godwin and Evans are relaying to the young rookie.

"[They told me] not to complain about the weather. Just to stay levelheaded at the end of the day. There's going to be a lot of stressors on you at practice, such as the heat, the sweat, so I'm not trying to make any excuses," McMillan said. "I'm just trying to focus on the next play and honestly just fix the small details of my game."

One of McMillan's mentors, Chris Godwin, also spoke to reporters following day two of practice and he was gleaming over the situation he found himself in by getting to mentor McMillan and help him along his path alongside his other veteran teammates, and from Godwin's statements, it seems as if McMillan is fitting right in with the rest of the guys despite having a ways to go in his transition into the NFL.

"First, I think you hit it on the head with him and the situation he's coming into. When I came in, I had Mike [Evans], but I also had 'D.Jax.' (DeSean Jackson) and Adam Humphries – I had a good group of guys ahead of me that helped show me how to be a pro," Godwin said. "I think I was able to come and fit in and learn from those guys and apply what I could to my game. I see a lot of those same things in Jalen. He has a really good feel for the game – you can tell that already [with] the way that he moves.

"He's coming in and playing with confidence. He's doing a really good job of taking in the advice from the vets – from me and Mike [Evans], from 'Shep' (Sterling Shepard), guys who have played a lot of ball. He's really taking in that advice and applying it,"

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver room might not be one of the deepest in the league, but they are definitely up there when it comes to the most talented. Even if he doesn't ultimately come away with the WR3 starting job, I fully expect to see McMillan receive snaps in 2024 and it is likely he and Palmer will see on-and-off swaps when it comes to starts based on matchup since Palmer is more of a speedster and McMillan is more of that route running type of wideout.

Stick with BucsGameday for more FREE coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throughout training camp.

Follow BucsGameday on Twitter and Facebook

More Tampa Bay Buccaneers News

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield Has The 'Keys To The Bus'

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers Safety Antoine Winfield Jr. Sets Clear Goal for 2024 Season

• Optimism in Tampa Bay: Buccaneers Already Appear ‘Faster’ and ‘Better’ Than Last Year

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers Wide Receiver Mike Evans Calls New Rookie 'Super Polished'