Jalen McMillan

Jalen McMillan's trajectory from his breakout season at Washington to his selection by the Buccaneers in the third round underscores his potential as a promising NFL receiver. Despite facing challenges like injuries and reduced opportunities in his final collegiate year, McMillan's strong route-running skills and experience in the slot position position him well for success at the professional level. He led the Washington Huskies in targets and catches in 2022 despite playing with future 1st and 2nd round picks.
With a clear path to the WR3 role in Tampa Bay's offense and the possibility of further advancement to WR2 in the coming seasons, McMillan's combination of talent and opportunity could make him a valuable asset.

McMillan profiles as a big slot in the NFL after at least 89.2% of his snaps from the slot over the last two years. He isn't a burner with build-up speed. He was slower in close quarters in 2023 as he dealt with injuries, but he showed some flashes of a second gear in 2022. McMillan isn't a quick-twitch player, which is reflected in his 56th-percentile 3-cone drill and 61st percentile 20-yard shuttle. McMillan is at his best, working against off-coverage underneath. He doesn't have the raw speed or route nuance to be utilized as a consistent deep threat. When he was tasked with out and ups at Washington, he was always blanketed. McMillan can separate on posts via his build-up speed. McMillan doesn't play well through contact in his routes or at the catch point. He only secured 20% of his contested targets in college. He also has some technique and concentration drops (7.9% drop rate). Dynasty Outlook: McMillan will compete with Trey Palmer for the starting slot role for Tampa Bay in 2024. The Buccaneers are thinking ahead, as Chris Godwin is a free agent after this year. While McMillan isn't assured of a starting spot this season, if Godwin walks, he should be a weekly starter in 2025. Polk and McMillan, in many ways, are like the Spiderman gif. McMillan should be a solid NFL starting slot receiver, but he doesn't have the look of becoming a high-impact target earner. McMillan is a late-third-round/early fourth-round pick in rookie drafts.