Tetairoa McMillan praised Carolina Panthers wide receiver coach Rob Moore for what he has learned in the short time they have worked together. Moore played 11 years in the NFL, has been a WR coach in the league since 2013 and is entering his second year with Carolina.
Carolina drafted McMillan eighth in the 2025 NFL Draft to provide quarterback Bryce Young with a needed WR1. The Panthers were 30th in passing yards, 23rd in interceptions, 28th in passer rating and 30th in yards per attempt during the 2024 season.
No Carolina WR had 50 receptions and Adam Thielen led the Panthers with 615 receiving yards. McMillan is the fourth favorite for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year at +1000 per the FanDuel Sportsbook. Ashton Jeanty, Cam Ward and Travis Hunter are ahead of McMillan.
FanDuel also has a prop bet on McMillan with the total for receiving yards set at 825.5 at -114 for the over and the under. Carolina needs McMillan to significantly excceed the over to improve on their 5-12 record in 2025. The comments McMillan made show his humbleness and willingness to learn from Moore.
"I was fortunate enough to get drafted in the first round. I was a high-level talent in college, but even the best in the world need to get coaching...Coach Moore is going to turn me from good to great. So to be able to be around him as much as possible. Being able to hear from him, just listen, just gain as much wisdom and knowledge that he has for the game, to me so it's gonna elevate me."Tetairoa McMillan.
This is the second consecutive year Carolina has drafted a WR in the first round. Carolina selected Xavier Legette 24th overall in 2024. Legette led Carolina with 49 receptions and was second with 497 yards and four touchdowns in 2024. At 6'3 and 227 pounds, Legette and McMillan provide Carolina with two big receivers.
McMillan significantly exceeded his ranking as a four-star prospect, the 51st overall player and fourth WR in the 2022 class in the 247Sports composite rankings. Over the last two seasons, McMillan was arguably the best WR in college football. McMillan was the first true WR taken in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Hunter went second overall in 2025, but he will play cornerback and WR for the Jacksonville Jaguars. McMillan was the second-highest drafted player in the history of the Arizona football program and the highest selected Wildcat since linebacker Chris Singleton was taken eighth overall by the New England Patriots in 1990.