The New England Patriots have the fourth overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft and are in prime position to land an impact player.
At the NFL Scouting Combine, Patriots Head Coach Mike Vrabel was asked what the team can do to support Drake Maye. His answer alluded to the potential of adding an impact wide receiver on the outside.
“You have to be able to, you know, have some guys that can help him on the edges and be able to make contested catches.”
The player in the NFL Draft that best fits that description is Arizona Wide Receiver Tetairoa McMillan. The 6-foot-5, 210-pound wide receiver is coming off an incredible 2024 collegiate season where he hauled in eight touchdowns on 84 receptions for 1,316 receiving yards.
The junior receiver has a lot of hype surrounding his potential and has the tools that Vrabel is looking for in a wide receiver to help support Maye.
In a segment on NFL Network, Pro Football Focus Lead Draft Analyst Trevor Sikkema made the connection between McMillan and the Patriots.
“He (Vrabel) started talking about praising an X type of a wide receiver, a guy on the boundary who can be Drake Maye’s best friend who he can go to and throw to in any situation. Sure sounds a lot like Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan if you ask me.”
McMillan has drawn comparisons to A.J. Green, Mike Evans, and Drake London. Getting a dominant wide receiver is a priority for the Patriots, and with McMillan as the most prototypical X wide receiver in the 2025 NFL Draft, his addition to the Patriots offense would be a huge boost for the team and Maye.
For the Patriots, McMillan is much more likely to come to New England. The Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, and New York Giants, the three teams picking ahead of the Patriots in the 2025 NFL Draft, are unlikely to take McMillan.
This potential selection would be a huge move for the Patriots. Maye is a young quarterback, and in his rookie season, he suffered from a lackluster supporting cast. Adding Tetairoa McMillan will make Maye’s life easier, and it will bring in a young wide receiver to develop alongside Maye as they rebuild their offense.