Background:
- Position: WR
- Height/Weight: 6’5”, 212 lbs.
- Age: 21.
- College Experience: 3-year starter (2022–2024).
- Size and Catch Radius: At 6'5" and 212 pounds, T-Mac has a prototypical X-receiver frame, giving him a massive catch radius. His length and leaping ability make him a dominant contested-catch threat, especially in tight coverage or red-zone situations.
- Ball Skills: McMillan possesses elite hands, plucking the ball effortlessly away from his frame and showing exceptional body control to adjust to off-target throws. His ability to track the ball deep and win at the catch point was noticeable on tape.
- Route-Running: Despite his size, he’s fluid and sharp in his cuts, displaying advanced route-running ability for a big receiver. Something the Pats prize in their receivers. He excels on a variety of routes—slants, fades, posts, whip routes, and crossers—demonstrating timing and positioning to create separation.
- YAC: McMillan’s agility and elusiveness after the catch are underrated. His spatial awareness and stop/start ability allow him to turn short passes into significant gains, a rarity for someone his height.
- Versatility: He’s comfortable aligning anywhere—outside as an X, in the slot, or even as a jumbo slot—making him a matchup nightmare for defenses.
- Production: McMillan has consistently delivered, finishing his Arizona career as the program’s all-time leader in receiving yards (3,423) and earning First-Team All-American honors in 2024.
- Explosiveness: His release package against press coverage can be inconsistent. He sometimes lacks the initial burst to beat physical corners immediately off the snap, relying more on technique and size to win later in the route.
- Top-End Speed: Though he’s fast for his size (tracked at 20 mph in-game and reportedly ran a 4.48 40-yard dash at his Pro Day), he’s not an elite vertical burner like some smaller receivers. His speed is more functional than game-breaking.
- Blocking Consistency: McMillan is a capable blocker in tight spaces near the line of scrimmage, but his effort and effectiveness in space are inconsistent. He occasionally lacks aggression or proper angles to sustain blocks, limiting his impact in the run game.
- Route Execution vs. Press: While a good route runner, he could refine his ability to beat press coverage with more crispness and deception, as NFL corners will challenge him physically at the next level. I bet a lot of these negatives sound like N’Keal Harry, eh?
Tet’s college career with Arizona is filled with standout performances, but here are the games I specifically paid attention to when studying him…
- August 31, 2024 vs. New Mexico: Dropped his nuts on these fairies for 10 receptions, 304 yards, and 4 TDs, setting Arizona program records. This game showcased his ability to dominate lesser competition with deep-ball tracking, YAC explosiveness, and red-zone prowess, earning him Walter Camp National Offensive Player of the Week honors.
- 2023 Season vs. USC (October 7): McMillan recorded 6 catches for 138 yards and a touchdown. His ability to win contested catches and stretch the field vertically stood out to me. It should be noted, however, that USC’s defense in 2023 was ass cheeks.
- 2024 Season vs. UCLA (November 9): He had 8 catches for 189 yards and 2 TDs, once again demonstrating his YAC ability and route-running finesse against Power 4 competition. His performance included a highlight-reel play where he turned a short crosser into a long gain with lateral agility.
The Erhardt-Perkins offense, as run by McDaniels, is a versatile, concept-driven system that emphasizes adaptability, pre-snap reads, and exploiting mismatches. It relies on receivers who can learn complex route trees, adjust on the fly, and win in multiple roles. Here’s how McMillan would be utilized:
Role: Primary X-Receiver with Slot Flexibility -
- Outside Threat: Tet would primarily line up as the X-receiver on the boundary IMO, isolated to one side of the formation. In the E-P system, the X is often tasked with winning one-on-one, which aligns perfectly with McMillan’s size, ball skills, and contested-catch ability. He’d be a go-to target on fades, back-shoulder throws, and deep posts—routes that McDaniels loves to dial up for big receivers like Randy Moss or Mike Evans prototypes.
- Slot Option: McDaniels frequently moves receivers around to create mismatches, and McMillan’s experience as a jumbo slot at Arizona makes him a natural fit for this role. In 3x1 sets, he could work the middle of the field on crossers, in-cuts, or option routes, using his size to shield smaller nickel corners or safeties.
- Vertical Stretching: The Pats under McDaniels often use vertical stems to open up underneath routes. McMillan’s ability to track deep balls and win at the catch point would force safeties to respect him over the top, creating space for other receivers or tight ends (like Henry or Pop) on digs or curls.
- Red-Zone Weapon: Tet’s height and soft hands make him an ideal target in the red zone, where the E-P system thrives on isolation routes and jump-ball opportunities. Expect McDaniels to design fades, slants, and corner routes to exploit McMillan’s catch radius near the goal line—a critical need for a Patriots offense lacking a dominant end-zone presence.
- YAC Plays: McDaniels incorporates bubble screens, quick hitches, and shallow crossers to generate YAC, and McMillan’s surprising agility after the catch would shine here. Pairing him with a quarterback like Drake Maye, who can deliver accurate short passes, could turn these plays into chunk gains.
- While his blocking definitely needs work, the E-P system doesn’t demand elite run-blocking from its X-receivers. His willingness to engage in tight spaces would suffice for outside zone or stretch runs, though McDaniels might limit his involvement in heavy run-blocking scenarios to preserve his energy for receiving duties.
- McMillan’s skill set complements Maye’s arm strength and willingness to throw into tight windows. Maye could trust McMillan on 50/50 balls and layered throws, while McMillan’s route-running nuance would help a young QB by providing reliable separation and timing.
- McMillan evokes shades of Randy Moss (albeit not as fast) with his ability to stretch the field and dominate in the air, mixed with the versatility of a Deion Branch in the slot. McDaniels would likely view him as a foundational piece to rebuild the Pats’ passing attack, which has lacked a true WR1 since Moss’s prime.
- Floor: N’Keal Harry.
- Ceiling: Mike Evans.
Conclusion:
Tet McMillan’s blend of size, ball skills, route-running, and YAC ability makes him an ideal fit for the Erhardt-Perkins offense. As a primary X-receiver with slot versatility, he could serve as a mismatch creator, red-zone threat, and chain-mover for the Patriots. While his explosiveness off the line and blocking consistency need work, his strengths align seamlessly with New England’s need for a dynamic, high-volume target to elevate their offense in 2025 and beyond. If drafted, he could become the centerpiece of a revitalized passing game alongside Drake Maye.
