Patriots insider Phil Perry is making the case for the Patriots to draft wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan out of Arizona.
Editor's Note: The New England Patriots have a host of roster needs at critical positions, but which one should they address with the No. 4 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft?
As part of his "The Case For" series, Phil Perry is highlighting five different draft-day options for the Patriots and explain why each may (or may not) be the best course of action.
The first installment focused on Colorado cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter. Next up: Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan.
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You don't have to do a deep dive on what ailed the Patriots offense in 2024 -- what has ailed the Patriots offense for the last six seasons, really -- to know they need wide receiver help.
They ranked 29th in the NFL on third down last season. They were 30th in red-zone efficiency. They were tied for last in the league in pass plays of 20 yards or more. They had seven receivers combine for 1,718 yards, only 10 more than Cincinnati's Ja'Marr Chase had on his own last season.
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The case for the Patriots drafting Arizona receiver Tetairoa McMillan, then, is a straightforward one. There is an argument to be made that he's the best pure wideout in this year's draft class. Plus, his particular set of skills would give head coach Mike Vrabel's team a shot in the arm in critical situations in the pass game.
At 6-foot-5, 212 pounds, McMillan is a smooth mover with impeccable hand-eye coordination. He knows how to run routes, and his size gives him an advantage on any 50-50 ball sent his way.
He had 84 catches and 1,319 yards last season as the clear No. 1 for the Wildcats, and he posted five games of over 100 yards, including a 10-catch, 304-yard, four-touchdown performance against New Mexico to open the year.
It's easy to envision McMillan being an early red-zone favorite for Drake Maye. And in tight man-to-man situations on third down, having someone with McMillan's frame and sure hands would be a weapon.
Would he be enough of a threat on the outside, though, to warrant the Patriots using the No. 4 overall pick on him?
He's not a burner, meaning the Patriots would still in all likelihood be looking for the kind of explosive play threat that would strike fear into safeties deep down the field. He also has had issues at times getting off press coverage as a collegian, which he'll see a great deal of as a pro. McMillan also doesn't exhibit the kind of run-after-catch ability that other true "No. 1" types of receivers tend to possess in today's game.
While McMillan may be the best true wideout in this class, as a prospect, he's probably not in the same class as the three wideouts who were drafted inside the top 10 of the 2024 NFL Draft: Marvin Harrison Jr. (No. 4), Malik Nabers (No. 6) and Rome Odunze (No. 9).
Given the other needs on the Patriots roster -- particularly on the offensive line -- would Vrabel and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels really want to spend a top-five selection on a receiver?
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Though it'll be Vrabel's decision at the end of the day, even top personnel man Eliot Wolf comes from an executive tree where wideouts typically aren't first-round options. The Packers haven't taken a receiver on Day 1 of the draft since 2002 (Javon Walker).
If the Patriots opted to trade down from No. 4 overall -- perhaps there is a team looking to move up to grab a quarterback at that point in the draft -- then maybe landing McMillan a handful of picks later, and picking up some draft capital in the process, would make sense.
McMillan is considered by many to be in the next 10-or-so-player tier and could land anywhere in the early-to-mid-first round, after "blue-chip" talents Abdul Carter of Penn State and Travis Hunter of Colorado.
The Patriots have other needs, and there are other "red-chip" types they could pursue. But they have been in desperate need of receiver help for some time now. And the options in free agency appear to be dwindling.
Put it all together, and it means that in an imperfect draft class, sitting perhaps just outside the range of being able to select the two best players in the class, there's a real argument for the Patriots to move back if they can, add an extra pick or two, and nab the big-bodied McMillan to give Maye a security blanket he could pepper with targets for years to come.