Arizona alum Tetairoa McMillan named ESPN 1st NFL All-Rookie

Wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, the Arizona all-time leader in receiving yards, was named by ESPN to their first team NFL All-Rookie team on Tuesday. McMillan enters the final week of the regular season with 66 receptions for 929 yards and seven touchdowns.

McMillan set the Arizona career record with 3,423 receiving yards in just three seasons and fourth with 213 receptions. McMillan tied linebacker Chris Singleton as the highest draftee in Arizona history when he was chosen eighth by the Carolina Panthers.

McMillan had five receptions for 68 yards in his NFL debut versus Jacksonville. Although he was productive through the first five weeks, McMillan did not score a touchdown until week six when he had two receptions for 29 yards and two scores in a 30-27 Carolina win over Dallas.

McMillan would go another four weeks without a TD before he scored in three consecutive games. The next step for McMillan will be consistency. McMillan had seven games this season with three or fewer receptions.

"The favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year...McMillan needs 71 yards in Week 18 to clear 1,000 on the season -- an impressive milestone for any rookie receiver, and doubly so with Carolina's inconsistent quarterback play. McMillan is showing the physicality and catch radius that was promised of him when he was coming out of Arizona, and his route running has really shined as NFL-caliber despite his supersized frame. He looks the part of a three-level X receiver who can win over the middle of the field just as frequently as he wins jump balls against the sideline."

McMillan leads Carolina in receptions, receiving yards and total touchdowns and is second in yards from scrimmage to running back Rico Dowdle. McMillan has set the Carolina rookie record for receptions and is close to the 1,088 receiving yards and nine TDs set by Kelvin Benjamin in 2014.

In his third season, Bryce Young has completed 63.2 percent of his pass attempts for 2,745 yards, 21 TDs and 10 interceptions. McMillan has been the dominant receiver for Carolina in 2025. Dowdle is second with 37 receptions for 277 yards and one TD.

McMillan has had a lot of pressure as a rookie as the primary receiver for Carolina. McMillan is third among rookie receivers in receptions, second in targets and receiving yards, fourth in yards per catch and first in touchdowns.

McMillan is the current leader at -140 to win the AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year 2025-26 per the FanDuel Sportsbook. New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough, who played at Oregon, Texas Tech and Louisville in college is the second favorite for AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year 2025-26.

There is a big dropoff after Shough to New England Patriots running back Treveon Henderson. Ebuka is +1,900 and Jaxson Dart +2,200. There is a cavernous drop after Dart to Las Vegas Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty at +25,000.

McMillan was a generational player at Arizona and has the opportunity to be the same with Carolina. The Panthers need to surround Young and McMillan with more talent on offense. Carolina can clinch an NFL Playoff berth with a win or a loss and an Atlanta win.