Panthers take big-play wide receiver McMillan with No. 8 overall pick
DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- The Carolina Panthers selected Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan with the No. 8 overall pick in the NFL draft on Thursday night after he got a strong endorsement from quarterback Bryce Young.
McMillan said the third-year QB told him he openly encouraged Panthers general manager Dan Morgan and coach Dave Canales to draft him after they worked out together last summer at the 3DQB football camp in California.
"Bryce, he's been telling them, 'Hey, we need to pick this guy,'" McMillan said. "Although I feel like I did what I needed to do to be in this position, I give credit to Bryce for vouching for me and ultimately for them taking the chance on me."
The two have a history together, having competed at rival high schools in California.
McMillan recalls Young leading national powerhouse Mater Dei to a 45-point win over his school, Servite High, in a nationally televised game. He walked away believing that Young, who would go on to win the Heisman Trophy at Alabama, was the best high school player in the country.
McMillan said he was surprised when Young struggled at the beginning of his NFL career, but believes the QB regained his swagger toward the end of last season.
Now he says they have a head start on bringing the "Cali-to-Cali connection" to Carolina.
"He's someone I looked up to growing up," McMillan said of Young, who was two years ahead of him in high school. "To be able to finally be on his team and fortunate enough to catch his passes, I feel like the sky is the limit for both of us in this offense."
The Panthers selected wide receiver Xavier Legette from South Carolina with the 31st overall pick in 2024, but felt like they needed to add more firepower on offense. The move makes sense given that the team's other starting wide receiver, Adam Thielen, will turn 35 in August.
The 6-foot-4, 219-pound McMillan could provide immediate help.
He was a first-team All-American last season and ranked third in the FBS with 1,319 receiving yards while averaging 15.7 yards per catch. He led the Wildcats with 84 receptions and had eight touchdown catches.
"I think the thing that pops off the tape about Tet is just how smooth he is and his body control and his ability to adjust to all types of throws," Morgan said. "His catch radius and his hands are elite. He catches everything outside his frame. He can win the jump ball down the field and in the red zone. He had 18 touchdowns the past two years, so he puts the ball in the end zone."
McMillan becomes the first Arizona receiver to be chosen in the first round.
He set a school record with 3,423 yards receiving, breaking the mark previously held by current Arizona wide receivers coach Bobby Wade. He set another school record and caught the eyes of scouts with a 304-yard receiving game against New Mexico.
Canales raved about McMillan's ability to make cuts at the top of his routes.
"The guy is a baller," Canales said. "There is a simple way to look at it and that is to watch film and (that is where) the ballers show up and make plays in big moments, and they are always looking to do something special."
The Panthers opted to improve their offense in the first round instead of addressing a defense that was the league's worst last season.
Carolina allowed a league-high 31.4 points and 404.5 yards per game in 2024, including a whopping 179.8 yards on the ground, and Georgia edge rusher Tavon Walker was believed to be high on Carolina's draft board.
However, the Panthers felt they had the flexibility to take an offensive player after addressing the defense in free agency by spending nearly $250 million. Carolina signed defensive tackles Tershawn Wharton and Bobby Brown III, linebackers Pat Jones II and Christian Rozeboom and safety Tre'Von Moehrig. The team also re-signed cornerbacks Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson.
Morgan said the Panthers entertained trade calls, but weren't going to make a move unless they received an extraordinary offer. They stuck to their draft board and took McMillan.
Now, McMillan said, "I'm ready to take Carolina to the next level."
Cam Ward has gone from zero-star recruit to No. 1 pick in the NFL draft.
The Tennessee Titans selected the Miami quarterback first overall on Thursday night. A process that began with the Titans exploring their options shifted a few weeks ago when it became clear Ward would be their man.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell made the announcement to kick off the draft, which for the first time was held next to historic Lambeau Field. The NFL's smallest market is hosting the league's biggest offseason event as thousands of fans from across the country traveled to Titletown for the festivities.
The Jacksonville Jaguars traded up three spots to select Heisman Trophy winner/two-way Colorado star Travis Hunter with the No. 2 pick in the NFL draft Thursday.
The Jaguars gave up four picks - including second- and fourth-rounders this year and their 2026 first-rounder - to land one of the most intriguing NFL prospects in draft history and set the tone for a new regime that features first-time general manager James Gladstone, first-time head coach Liam Coen and first-time executive vice president Tony Boselli.
Now, they have the first two-way player in franchise lore.
The Jags also received a fourth-rounder and a sixth-rounder in return from the Browns.
The New York Giants selected Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter with the No. 3 overall pick in the NFL draft Thursday night.
Carter, who led the country with 23 1/2 tackles for loss and had 12 sacks last season, bolsters a Giants defense that already has solid pass rushers in Kayvon Thibodeaux and Brian Burns and a strong D-line that includes Pro Bowler Dexter Lawrence.
The New England Patriots took LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell with the fourth pick, giving quarterback Drake Maye more protection.
At 6-foot-6 and 320 pounds, Campbell was a three-year starter for the Tigers and a first-team All-America selection as a junior last season. He was a three-time All-Southeastern Conference selection.
Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham went fifth to Cleveland. Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty was picked at No. 6 by the Las Vegas Raiders.
The New York Jets selected Missouri offensive tackle Armand Membou with the seventh pick. Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan went to the Carolina Panthers with the No. 8 pick.
The New Orleans Saints chose Texas offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. at No. 9. Michigan's Colston Loveland became the first tight end off the board when the Chicago Bears selected him at No. 10.
The San Francisco 49ers took Georgia edge rusher Mykel Williams with the 11th pick. Alabama guard Tyler Booker went to the Dallas Cowboys at No. 12. Michigan defensive tackle Kenneth Grant was selected by the Miami Dolphins with the 13th pick.
The Indianapolis Colts snagged Penn State tight end Tyler Warren at No. 14, and Georgia edge rusher Jalon Walker, a Salisbury native, went 15th to the Atlanta Falcons.
The Arizona Cardinals selected Mississippi defensive lineman Walter Nolen with the No. 16 pick, adding talent to a revamped unit. The 6-foot-4, 296-pound Nolen had 14 1/2 tackles for loss and 6 1/2 sacks last season while anchoring the Rebels' defensive line.
Texas A&M edge rusher Shemar Stewart went to the Cincinnati Bengals at No. 17.
The Seattle Seahawks took North Dakota State guard Grey Zabel with the 18th pick, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers got Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka at No. 19.
Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron was selected by the Denver Broncos with the 20th pick.
The New York Giants traded their way back into the first round and selected Mississippi's Jaxson Dart with the No. 25 overall pick.
New York acquired the 25th pick from Houston to secure its QB of the future and sent the Texans its second-round pick (No. 34), a third-round pick (No. 99), and a third-rounder in next year's draft.
The Giants signed veterans Russell Wilson - who's expected to be the starter this season - and Jameis Winston last month as free agents and still have fan favorite Tommy DeVito, but they lacked a possible long-term answer at quarterback.
Dart was the second QB selected after Cam Ward went No. 1 overall to Tennessee.
Colorado's Shedeur Sanders was once considered a possibility to be taken by the Giants, even with the third overall pick. But New York passed on Sanders twice.
Tracking local players
Each year, our local colleges boast a number of players looking for their pro football dreams to be realized, and this year is no different.
Duke, NC State, and UNC all have student-athletes who are hopeful to hear their names called this weekend in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Duke
Jordan Moore, WR
Eli Pancol, WR
NC State
Anthony Belton, OL
Davin Vann, DL
Aydan White, DB
UNC
Hampton, a Johnston County native, was taken No. 22 overall by the Los Angeles Chargers.
Hampton led the ACC in carries and rushing yards in back-to-back seasons and collected 15 touchdowns on foot in 2023 and 2024.
The Chargers need to upgrade their offensive weaponry around quarterback Justin Herbert in their second season under coach Jim Harbaugh. The run game averaged 4.06 yards per carry last season, which ranked 24th in the NFL despite a heavy investment in the offensive line.
The powerful Hampton, who checks in at 5-foot-11 and 221 pounds, joins a revamped Chargers running back room that includes a four-time 1,000-yard rusher in Najee Harris. Harris, formerly of the Pittsburgh Steelers, signed a one-year contract in March.
Hampton wasn't regarded by draft analysts as a particularly creative tailback capable of creating more than what is available, but that is likely to be less of an issue in Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman's downhill offense.
He was the second running back taken in the first round, following Boise State's Ashton Jeanty.
Willie Lampkin, OL
Kaimon Rucker, DL
Alijah Huzzie, DB
Jahvaree Ritzie, DL
Bryson Nesbit, TE
Power Echols, LB
Desmond Evans, DL
From Junior College to the draft: Shavon Revel Jr. from Winston-Salem landed a spot on ECU's roster while attending a junior college and has been working toward this day ever since.
SEE ALSO | Carolina Panthers 2025 NFL draft picks: Full list by round
RELATED: 2025 NFL draft: Top prospects, picks, rankings, stats, mocks
The Associated Press contributed.
