Aug 2, 2025; Charlottle, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (4) takes the field during Fanfest at Bank of America Stadium. Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Panthers rookie Tetairoa McMillan predicted to see 'heavy target share' vs. Jags

Originally posted on Carolina Panthers on SI
By Tim Weaver | Last updated Sep 7, 2025 6:30 AM ET

At long last the wait is over and today we'll see real honest live football today. There are too many factors to count in deciding any one game, but one of the biggest ones for the Carolina Panthers today against the Jacksonville Jaguars will be the performing of their No. 8 overall pick, Tetairoa McMillan.

A lot of rookies struggle in their first NFL action, as it can take time to adjust to the massive gap between the competition at the college level and in this league. The Panthers don't have any such luxury with McMillan, though. With Adam Thielen back in Minnesota and Jalen Coker on injured reserve, they need McMillan to hit the ground running.

That's because McMillan is projected to be the team's WR1 right out of the gate. According to Gary Davenport at Bleacher Report, McMillan should see a lot of targets, today.

"After Adam Thielen was traded to Minnesota, McMillan should see a hearty target share Sunday against a poor Jaguars secondary. Jacksonville allowed the most passing yards per game in the NFL last season—a particularly bad mark. Travis Hunter won't magically fix that."

While Travis Hunter will be a tough matchup for McMillan, he's technically not in the starting lineup for the Jaguars' defense - not yet, anyway. Even when he is on the field he's expected to defend the slot, while McMillan will mostly line up outside.

That should put McMillan on a collision course with Tyson Campbell, a former second-round draft pick who's allowed 19 touchdowns and a 99.1 passer rating over the last four seasons.

McMillan should in theory get the better of that matchup, but much will depend on another factor that's outside his control. With starting left tackle Ickey Ekwonu doubtful to play, the Panters will be relying on a backp on the blindside - either Yosh Nijman or Brady Christensen. They'll need to keep the Jags off Bryce Young's back to give him time for McMillan's routes to develop.

If that happens, Carolina's top draft pick could be in for a very big debut.

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

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