Jun 11, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (4) gets a drink during minicamp at Bank of America Stadium. Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Carolina Panthers share inside look at Tetairoa McMillan's first day at facility

Originally posted on Carolina Panthers on SI
By Tim Weaver | Last updated Jun 21, 2025 9:30 AM ET

It's been a while since the Carolina Panthers had any real fan favorites. However, after a long drought there appear to be a few emerging. At the top is the team's growing young quarterback Bryce Young, who's heading into his third year in the NFL and seems to be ready to make his mark at this level.

Along with Young are the team's other two first-round draft picks in the last three years- wide receivers Xavier Legette and Tetairoa McMillan. Together, the three of them represent a potential nucleus for Carolina to build around for years to come - if things go well.

It will take time for them to grow together on the field, but if nothing else Legette and McMillan seem to bring a positive energy to the building, another thing that's been missing for too long for this franchise. Watch this sneak peak the team shared of McMillan's first day at the facility and you'll see his enthusiasm popping out.

There's no debating the superior size that McMillan and Legette bring to Carolina's receiver corps - and they're both significantly more athletic than the team's last big-boy combo at this spot. Kelvin Benjamin and Devin Funchess were both tall wideouts with wide catch radiuses - but they were unable to smooth out the rougher portions of their respective games and ultimately fell well short of their potential.

To avoid a similar fate, Legette is going to have to clean up his catch mechanics. As for McMillan it's too early to tell but the biggest concern is his lack of top-end speed. That's not the kind of thing a player grows in practice, but there will no doubt be areas that McMillan will have to work on to succeed at the next level.

How much the three of them grow will depend a great deal on head coach Dave Canales and how well he develops his top talents.

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

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