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Tetairoa McMillan may have been a perfect pick for the Carolina Panthers, but he didn't go through his draft experience without a few concerns. He addressed those on Friday.
This afternoon, the 22-year-old wide receiver and newly-minted eighth overall pick hit Bank of America Stadium for his introductory press conference. He was asked about the knocks on his speed leading up to the selection process.
"As far as the speed goes—playing in the game is a lot different, but I can tell you I'm not slow," he said with a laugh.
McMillan, who stands at 6-foot-4 and 219 pounds, wasn't considered the fastest of prospects in the 2025 class. The reported 40-yard dash times at his pro day, which ranged as high as 4.57 seconds for some, may not have helped that perception either.
He did, however, register a max speed of 20.9 mph while playing at the University of Arizona. According to Reel Analytics, that mark ranks in the 88th percentile of their In-Game Athleticism Score.
Plus, speed probably shouldn't be much of a concern if you averaged 92.5 receiving yards per game and 16.1 receiving yards per catch during a three-year collegiate career.
McMillan was also asked about the uncertainty regarding his interest (or lack thereof) in watching game film, something he himself brought up in a YouTube video published in 2023.
"Yeah, that was from my freshman year of high school," he replied. "I definitely have grown, I've definitely matured since that. I feel like I wouldn't be here in front of all of y'all today without loving this game, without watching film. That was just young and dumb freshman me."
Now, it seems the Panthers have the young and mature (and not slow) rookie version of McMillan.
Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.
This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers WR Tetairoa McMillan addresses concerns about speed, film
Continue reading...
This afternoon, the 22-year-old wide receiver and newly-minted eighth overall pick hit Bank of America Stadium for his introductory press conference. He was asked about the knocks on his speed leading up to the selection process.
"As far as the speed goes—playing in the game is a lot different, but I can tell you I'm not slow," he said with a laugh.
McMillan, who stands at 6-foot-4 and 219 pounds, wasn't considered the fastest of prospects in the 2025 class. The reported 40-yard dash times at his pro day, which ranged as high as 4.57 seconds for some, may not have helped that perception either.
He did, however, register a max speed of 20.9 mph while playing at the University of Arizona. According to Reel Analytics, that mark ranks in the 88th percentile of their In-Game Athleticism Score.
Plus, speed probably shouldn't be much of a concern if you averaged 92.5 receiving yards per game and 16.1 receiving yards per catch during a three-year collegiate career.
McMillan was also asked about the uncertainty regarding his interest (or lack thereof) in watching game film, something he himself brought up in a YouTube video published in 2023.
"Yeah, that was from my freshman year of high school," he replied. "I definitely have grown, I've definitely matured since that. I feel like I wouldn't be here in front of all of y'all today without loving this game, without watching film. That was just young and dumb freshman me."
Now, it seems the Panthers have the young and mature (and not slow) rookie version of McMillan.
Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.
This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers WR Tetairoa McMillan addresses concerns about speed, film
Continue reading...
