Jalen McMillan | Washington 6’01” 197lbs 12/7/2001 (22)
Jalen McMillan was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, becoming the 15th wide receiver and 92nd overall player in the 2024 NFL Draft.
COLLEGE PRODUCTION
Jalen McMillan began earning the attention of NFL scouts following his junior season in 2022, where he hauled 79 receptions on 118 targets, totaling 1,098 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. Much of the devy community actually valued McMillan higher than Rome heading into their season seasons, but injury troubles kept McMillan off the field for much of the season, and he struggled to get back to full speed once he found the field again.
In the three games he played in 2023 prior to his knee injury, McMillan averaged 103 yards and one touchdown per game alongside two other NFL receivers, Rome Odunze and Ja’Lynn Polk. McMillan even earned a higher target share than Rome during the regular season in 2023. He’s a very efficient slot receiver when healthy.
FILM
McMillan’s biggest strength when watching film is his route running ability. He operates primarily from the slot and has an uncanny ability to create separation from his defenders or find soft spots in the zone. McMillan only had 25 contested targets over 245 career targets (10.2%), which is phenomenal. In 2023, he had just one contested target out of 63. His weaknesses lie in his physicality and hands. McMillan had a drop rate of over 8% in each of his final two seasons and only managed to haul in 5/25 career-contested targets. He has a slimmer build, and I question his ability to fight through press coverage at the NFL level.
ATHLETIC TESTING
At the combine, Jalen McMillan measured 6’1” and 197 lbs. He checked in with a solid 40-yard dash time of 4.47. His 10-yard split was poor at 3.94. McMillan performed well in the vertical and broad jumps, with a 37” vert and 10’7” broad jump. He has a slim, lanky build with long arms and a smooth-running style that almost looks like he’s gliding across the field. What McMillan lacks in play strength, he makes up for with his athleticism and coordination.
DRAFT ANALYSIS
Rapid Reaction to Draft Capital: Average
Rapid Reaction to Landing Spot: Average
Jalen McMillan was selected with the 92nd overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
FANTASY INSIGHTS
I have McMillan ranked as the 11th wide receiver in this class for projected future dynasty value. I think he is significantly undervalued by most of the dynasty community and has the ability to hit your starting lineups on a weekly basis in the future. That said, McMillan does not project well for Year 1. He’ll be sitting behind Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and possibly even Trey Palmer. While I’m not expecting much from McMillan as a rookie, his opportunity share could see a big spike by Year 2. Tampa will have the ability to move on from Godwin and Evans if they choose. On top of this, Godwin operated out wide much more than he has in recent years as Palmer took his role in the slot. I think there’s a real chance McMillan can beat out Palmer for that WR3 spot in the slot, and I’m excited to see how he performs.
McMillan should go off the board in rookie drafts in the late second or early third round
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