Panthers’ rookie Tetairoa McMillan is in a good spot heading into training camp

There’s an air of anticipation for a team that has finished below .500 seven consecutive seasons, and hasn’t reached the playoffs since 2017. After a rough 1-7 start, the Carolina Panthers won four of their final nine games in 2024. Two of the losses were narrow setbacks to the Super Bowl LIX-bound Chiefs (30-27) and Eagles (22-16) during the second half of the season.

Matt Holder of Bleacher Report took a look at all 32 first-round picks from this year’s draft and the outlook for each of these performers. He expects talented Tetairoa McMillan, who the Panthers took with the eighth overall pick in late April, to compete for the top wide receiver spot.

“While Carolina needed a wide receiver this offseason, the team wasn’t necessarily desperate for one with Adam Thielen, Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker already on the roster. McMillan will still enter training camp as a starter and could easily become the Panthers’ top receiver, but he’ll have to establish chemistry with Bryce Young quickly and outplay those three wideouts, especially Thielen, this summer to earn that role.”