
Thor Nystrom ...
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In the 2025 NFL Draft, the Carolina Panthers selected …
Carolina Panthers | Draft Grade: B-
The Panthers' brass read the room correctly and scored strong values in the slots they picked in. That began with WR Tetairoa McMillan, who Carolina smartly prioritized before this meager receiver class summarily fell off a shelf.
McMillan’s ball skills are out of this world. Standing a shade over 6-foot-4, McMillan has a fisherman’s-net catch radius. His vice-grip hands ensure that no fish gets off the line.
McMillan is a problem downfield. The former basketball and volleyball standout is very comfortable in the air, and there is no defensive back getting higher than him. McMillan’s ball adjustments are a thing of beauty, using Gumby-like pliability to get the best of the positioning game.
My favorite Day 3 picks were S Lathan Ransom and TE Mitchell Evans. Ohio State coaches swear by Ransom, who was overshadowed publicly last season by high-profile portal acquisition Caleb Downs. Meanwhile, Evans has proven to be a trusted blocking option inline, and he has good hands. Evans’ ceiling is capped by solid-but-not-elite athleticism. If he continues to develop as a receiver, however, Evans has a path to becoming an NFL starter.
Ian Hartitz: McMillan has the highest target ceiling of any rookie pass catcher, and the same could be true for his fantasy ceiling (big) IF Bryce Young can build on his encouraging second-half revival. The gargantuan-sized rookie should emerge as the clear-cut No. 1 pass-game option inside this underwhelming WR room before too long, and the likelihood that Carolina's defense (again) stinks should lead to plenty of fantasy-friendly shootout game scripts. For now I'm leaving T-Mac on the WR2 borderline ahead of fellow top-10 pick Travis Hunter, but just a touch behind Marvin Harrison Jr. Just realize as I write that I'm already wondering if the Arizona product deserves more benefit of the doubt.