The Carolina Panthers showed a lot of promise toward the end of last season, especially since quarterback Bryce Young played a lot better. Carolina started Young at quarterback in 2024, but he was benched for Andy Dalton until Young returned to the lineup.

Head coach Dave Canales is trying to build something better in his second season as head coach after finishing with a 5-12 record in 2024. With the eighth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Carolina drafted wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan from the Arizona Wildcats. He is very well the best wide receiver in this draft class. There is no doubt that the Panthers needed to find a true number one wide receiver in the 2025 NFL Draft.
NFL Analyst Lists Potential Expectations For Carolina Panthers Rookie Wide Receiver Tetairoa McMillan Entering 2025 NFL Season

McMillan was very effective for the Wildcats during his 2024 college football season. He was one of the best wide receivers in the country. Nick Baumgardner of The Athletic covers the NFL and questions about what are the expectations for each NFL first round selection entering the 2025 NFL season. He said about McMillan,
“For Bryce Young’s sake, I hesitate so I don’t jinx anything, but the Panthers are starting to look like a team that supports a young QB rather than forcing him through roadblocks.
Adding McMillan to a room with Xavier Legette and Adam Thielen gives Young plenty to work with, while allowing McMillan time to develop route nuance and his work against physical corners. He’s talented enough to be the best receiver on this team by the end of the year, even if he won’t need to be immediately.”
There is no doubt that he is going to be one of the starting wide receivers for the Panthers as a rookie. McMillan may not be strong out of the gate, but he has a chance to be Young’s top target by the end of the 2025 NFL season. He had over 1,000 yards receiving in 2024 with Arizona, but there is a chance that McMillan may not reach that total in the NFL in his rookie season.
McMillan could be a redzone target for Young in order to score touchdowns. Carolina will be projected to finish in third place in the NFC South. In order for the Panthers to show signs of more promise in 2025, Young is going to need to show signs of chemistry with the former Wildcats wide receiver as the season progresses.
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