Sizing Up a Tall Wide Receiver Option for Dolphins

The top wide receiver prospect in the draft possesses a trait lacking in the current position group

Arizona Wildcats wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (4) catches the ball to make a touchdown during the first quarter against the Houston Cougars at Arizona Stadium. / Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

INDIANAPOLIS — The Miami Dolphins' logical targets for the 13th overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft obviously include the offensive line, defensive line and secondary, not necessarily in that order.

But the Dolphins do have a need for a wide receiver as well, which is what prompted a recent mock to project them to draft Luther Burden III from Missouri.

Here's the thing, though: Burden is more of a smaller speedster with big-play ability, and what the Dolphins really need is a wide receiver with size who can make contested catches, otherwise known as winning the 50-50 balls.

That wide receiver is Tetairoa McMillan and the only way the Dolphins will have a chance at drafting him is his perceived lack of breakaway speed keeps him available at number 13.

McMillan has heard the concerns, though he pushed back against them a bit during his media session at the combine Friday.

"Most underrated part of my game, I feel like my explosiveness, I feel like people sleep on my ability with the ball in my hands," McMillan said. "Obviously everybody knows about my 50-50 balls and my catch radius, but I feel I can get in out of my brakes as a big receiver, good and like I said, the ability with the ball.

"People look at me as a big receiver, which I am. I'm physically dominant, but at the end of the day, I'm able to run every route in the route tree. I'm able to play inside or outside. And I feel like a lot of people, a lot of teams, are sleeping on that right now."

McMILLAN AND SOME DOLPHINS SIMILARITIES

McMillan is oversized at wide receiver at 6-5, 210, and he was highly productive at the University of Arizona after arriving there as the school's most decorated high school recruit.

Like Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa, McMillan was born in Hawaii. Like former Dolphins tight end Mike Gesicki, he was a high school volleyball and basketball player.

That background is why McMillan is so proficient at making the constested catches, according to the man himself.

"Oh, man, that's easy; that's a testament to my basketball and my volleyball background, being able to high-point the ball and at the end of the day, I have a high vertical but it's about timing," he said. "I gotta beat the ball before the defender gets to it."

The Dolphins, of course, last took a wide receiver in the first round in 2021 when they pick Jaylen Waddle sixth overall, one year before trading a first-round pick and four other draft choices to get Tyreek Hill from the Kansas City Chiefs.

But a wide receiver with size still is needed, and McMillan just might be that guy.

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