Dec 29, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Carolina Panthers] head coach Dave Canales talks with referee Dave Hawkshaw against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Dave Canales shares expectations for Panthers rookie Tetairoa McMillan

Originally posted on Carolina Panthers on SI
By Tim Weaver | Last updated May 22, 2025 9:40 AM ET

The first real surprise of the 2025 NFL draft came when the Carolina Panthers threw a curveball with the No. 8 overall pick. Instead of taking Georgia edge/linebacker Jalon Walker like the market expected them to, the Panthers selected Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan instead.

Expectations are always high for any top-10 overall draft pick and McMillan is no exception to the rule. For example, ESPN is projecting that McMillan will wind up posting over 900 receiving yards and five touchdowns his first year in the league.

While McMillan is a strong prospect, that's a high bar to set for any rookie - especially one who has some stiff competition for the WR1 role from long-time veteran Adam Thielen.

To begin with, head coach Dave Canales is keeping things simple and setting his expectations for McMillan at a reasonable level. Here's what he said, per Kassidy Hill at the official team website.

Dave Canales on Tetairoa McMillan expectations

"As we've talked, my expectation for him is to just get one day better... Apply himself to the installs, know that he's coming into a group of guys that have been in this system now, a couple of guys for a few years, you know, and then for him to just be focused on just getting one day better. And then that's gonna elevate the whole group."

In addition to Thielen, McMillan will also have to share targets with Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker, two promising rookies from the 2024 season. There's also the wild card that is fifth-round draft pick Jimmy Horn Jr., who's faster than all of them and might carve out a legitimate role for himself on offense, even as a rookie.

The point is Panthers fans have to be realistic about their bar for McMillan's production. In Arizona McMillan was such a dominant target that he wound up posting over 1,000 yards more than any other receiver. It's a completely different dynamic in Carolina. McMillan also towered over the competition at the college level. While he's still bigger and stronger than most NFL DBs, that physical gap is going to shrink considerably at the next level. It will take McMillan time to get used to that, to say nothing of learning a pro offense, which is an exceedingly complicated thing even for athletes who have been playing their entire lives.

Canales has it right to go slow for now - and Carolina fans have to be patient if McMillan doesn't look like Calvin Johnson right out of the gate.

This article first appeared on Carolina Panthers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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