Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan was named to ESPN's 2024 college football preseason All-America team on Wednesday. ESPN only named first and second-team All-American. McMillan was also named preseason first-team All-American by Athlon Sports and the Walter Camp Award.
McMillan earned second-team All-American from The Sporting News and third-team from the Associated Press in 2023. After a solid freshman season in 2022, McMillian nearly broke the Arizona single-season records for receptions and receiving yards in 2023. McMillan had 90 receptions for 1,402 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2023.
Dennis Northcut set the Arizona single-season record with 1,422 receiving yards in 1999. Bobby Wade who is now the Arizona WRs coach set the single-season record with 93 receptions in 2002. With Jacob Cowing moving on to the NFL, expect quarterback Noah Fifita to target McMillan more in 2024.
McMillian is 130 receptions behind Mike Thomas and 1.247 receiving yards behind Northcutt and 14 TDs behind Juron Criner for the Arizona career records. The reception record is likely out of reach. McMillan will almost definitely set the career receiving yardage record and he has an excellent chance at the TD record.
Tetairoa McMillan is the best Receiver in the Country! Can’t wait to see him this season. 90 receptions, 1,402 yards and 10 TD’s last season 🔥😈 pic.twitter.com/IGz8kyaBn1
— Matt (@hazthetruth) August 13, 2024
"WR: Tetairoa McMillan, ArizonaChris Low, ESPN
One of the best pass-catch combos in college football this season will again be Noah Fifita to McMillan, and it's been that way since they were teammates in high school. The 6-5, 210-pound McMillan is a challenging matchup for any defensive back. He doesn't drop passes and excels at making contested catches. As a true sophomore, McMillan finished with 90 catches for 1,402 yards and 10 touchdowns. He should be even more polished as a junior."
McMillan was named to the preseason watch list for the Biletnikoff Award honoring the best wide receiver in college football. In 2023, McMillan finished ninth nationally in receptions tied with Cowing, fifth in receiving yards and 16th in TDs receptions. McMillan has the potential to finish much higher in 2024.
McMillan's size and consistency in avoiding drops make him one of the most difficult WRs to cover in college football. Fifita and McMillan will have to adjust to new offensive coordinator Dino Babers. Babers is entering his second stint at Arizona. Babers was previously on the Arizona staff from 1995-2000.
McMillian will almost certainly leave for 2025 NFL Draft. The NFL Mock Draft Database projects McMillan as the eighth pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. McMillan will almost unquestionably finish his collegiate career as the best WR in Arizona football history.