Why Tetairoa McMillan could be essential final piece to Chiefs' wide receiver puzzle

The Kansas City Chiefs' wide receiver room remains one of the team’s most pressing question marks. Rashee Rice, who emerged as a top wideout in the league, now faces a potential suspension and is recovering from a significant LCL tear.

Rookie Xavier Worthy showed flashes of greatness but has yet to establish himself as a consistent, reliable threat in the offense. As for Hollywood Brown, it remains unclear whether he will be the dynamic playmaker seen late in the season or the ineffective version who struggled throughout the postseason.

Beyond that, the depth chart offers little reassurance. Veterans such as JuJu Smith-Schuster, Skyy Moore, and Nikko Remigio appear unlikely to make meaningful contributions in 2025. With no impactful free agents remaining on the market, the most viable path to strengthening the position lies in the NFL Draft.

Enter Tetairoa McMillan, widely regarded as the top-ranked receiver prospect in this year's class. At 6'4" and 219 pounds, McMillan possesses the size, contested catch ability, and YAC ability to develop into a dominant X-receiver at the next level. The question is whether he would fit into KC's offense, if he is available near the Chiefs' first selection at pick 31, or if he's worth trading up for.

Let's take a look at McMillan's game, if he's the best receiver in the draft, and if he's a proper fit for the Chiefs' offense.

NFL Draft Profile: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona

Age: 22 (when drafted)

Height: 6'4" (Combine official)

Weight: 219 lbs. (Combine official)

RAS: 8.51 (Below)

Player Comp: Keon Coleman+

Tetairoa McMillan's Background

Tetairoa McMillan wasted little time establishing himself as one of college football’s most electrifying wide receivers. As a freshman in 2022, he led all first-year receivers nationally with 39 receptions, 702 receiving yards, and 8 touchdowns—an end-of-year stat line that immediately drew attention from sports pundits and NFL scouts alike.

McMillan's breakout moment came against a formidable Washington Huskies defense (one known for producing elite NFL-caliber defensive backs). In that game, McMillan torched the unit for 132 yards on 7 receptions and found the end zone twice, cementing him as one of the nation's top young pass catchers.

McMillan’s sophomore campaign in 2023 was nothing short of spectacular. He posted 1,402 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns, leading the team in both categories and positioning himself to break the Arizona Wildcats' all-time receiving record. Throughout the season, he recorded six games with over 100 receiving yards. Even more impressive were the three performances that eclipsed the 150-yard mark. His best outing came in the rivalry game against Arizona State, where he went for 266 yards and 1 touchdown.

McMillan opened his junior season with an even more astonishing performance, racking up 304 yards and 4 touchdowns against New Mexico—one of the highest single-game receiving totals in college football history. He continued his dominance throughout the season with standout games against Kansas State (138 yards) and Texas Tech (161 yards, including a massive 40-yard gain). This stretch of performances earned him First-Team All-American honors and a spot as a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award (an award given to the nation’s top receiver).

By the end of 2024, McMillan had amassed 1,319 receiving yards, 8 touchdowns, and averaged an impressive 110 yards per game. He finished his time in Arizona as their all-time leader in receiving yards (3,423 yards total) and no doubt earned himself a future Wildcats' Hall of Fame spot.

Tet McMillan's Fit with Chiefs

McMillan stands out as a strong potential fit for the Kansas City Chiefs for three key reasons: his immense upside paired with a relatively high floor, the team’s undisputed need for a true X receiver, and his underrated ability to generate yards after the catch (YAC).

McMillan brings a high floor and ceiling

At 6'4" and 219 pounds, McMillan possesses the prototypical frame of an elite NFL X-receiver. His physical profile has grabbed the attention of scouts across the league, with many drawing comparisons to established stars like Mike Evans and Nico Collins. In addition to his size, McMillan boasts 30-inch arms and 10-inch hands, both of which are above average for the position.

Not only that, but the flashes on film make it clear why McMillan draws such lofty comparisons. In the first clip below, he showcases the kind of playmaking ability that only an elite, physically gifted receiver can deliver in the red zone. Faced with a handsy cornerback playing press man, Tet attacks his inside leverage to create space. However, the defensive back doesn't bite and plays tight. Quarterback Noah Fifita is left with no opportunity but to throw a 50/50 ball to Tet's backside shoulder. Tet uses his arm length to create separation, then concentrates enough to make the one-handed grab.

If Tet adds the necessary strength to do this consistently at the next level, he can find success in any NFL system. For KC, adding a receiver who can reliably make contested catches adds an aspect to the offense that has been absent since Sammy Watkins' departure in 2021.

The Chiefs' need an X receiver

Playing the X-receiver position in the NFL is no easy task. Prospects have to have the weight and quickness to reliably absorb or dodge the press techniques used to throw off route timing, the ball skills required to put themselves in position to make contested catches regularly, and the catching ability to secure the ball once it gets to them.

Currently, the Chiefs have two players who have the skills necessary to win (even if unreliably) at the X position: Hollywood Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster. Outside of those two, the Chiefs take the risk of disrupting all of the routes on the field consistently by playing Skyy Moore or Justyn Ross—two players who have had plenty of opportunities to demonstrate their abilities, but have not done so. McMillan, however, possesses all of these abilities.

Positioned at the top of the clip, McMillan gets off the line without contest but quickly runs into a defensive back playing a catch technique (the grabby motion used to slow down accelerating receivers). He fights through the contact, then stops on a dime before the safety can break on the ball. His quarterback is late on the throw, so he puts himself in a great position to make the catch by running back toward the throw. The defensive back accelerates forward to try and close the gap, but it's too late. McMillan creates enough separation to make the catch with little to no contest, then turns upfield to fight for extra yardage.

With his addition to the offense, McMillan would be the only receiver on the Chiefs' roster consistently capable of creating and capitalizing on opportunities from the X position.

McMillan's YAC Ability

An underrated aspect of McMillan's game is his ability to gain yards after the catch. Not only can he use his size to fight for extra yardage, but he can also use his burst and ball-carrier vision to get up the field fast and efficiently.

At the 40-second mark in the clip below, McMillan is running a drag route underneath the zone defenders. He executes the first part of his route incredibly well and is wide open when he receives the ball. Feeling that the pressure is far away from him, he slams on the brakes and turns outside, forcing the late-reacting defender to do the same. After separating from that defender, he cuts up the field, freezes the next-level defender, and cuts across his face for a huge gain. Even at the end, he uses his shiftiness to add an extra 3 yards onto the end of the run.

Head coach Andy Reid is known for scheming easy yardage through quick completions at or behind the line of scrimmage. McMillan has the skill set to capitalize on those opportunities, particularly if a suspension or injury thins the receiver room. Beyond that, he’s more than capable of handling the traditional responsibilities of an X receiver.

Draft concerns about Tet McMillan

Like any draft prospect, McMillan isn’t without his shortcomings. Here are two aspects of his game that warrant closer examination.

McMillan's Route Running/Weight

McMillan tends to round off the breaks in his routes—a tendency that frequently allows opposing defensive backs to anticipate and suffocate routes. This habit has been a persistent one throughout his college career and has been a hard one to break, as his success has only made him more resolved in his misuse of technique. It can be resolved with a great NFL receivers coach and diligent training. However, if it does not resolve within his first year or two in the league, the chances of McMillan reaching his full potential reduce dramatically.

Not only that, but McMillan tends to get pushed around deep downfield. Even though he is listed at 219 pounds, his 6'4" frame gives him a physique that borders on slender. Stronger defensive backs who land hard jabs to his chest and shoulder pads can reroute him and throw off the timing of his routes. This is a problem that can be fixed fairly easily, as a full offseason with NFL dietitians and strength and conditioning coaches can shape a physique fit for his size.

Final analysis about Tetaroia McMillan

For Brett Veach and the Chiefs to have a realistic shot at drafting McMillan, he would have to slip past the Denver Broncos at pick No. 20. While that may seem unlikely, several recent mock drafts from popular sports pundits have projected McMillan falling to the Chiefs at pick 31.

If that were to happen, the Chiefs should not hesitate to seize the opportunity to select—or trade up for—one of the best receivers in the draft class. While McMillan might not fit the profile some teams look for in their wide receiver prospects, or they believe the risks are too high to warrant a top draft selection, he should be very high on Kansas City's big board.