The Carolina Panthers have done almost nothing to help enhance the options around quarterback Bryce Young during the recruitment period. Dan Morgan stood pat at every offensive position group, opting to focus almost solely on fixing Ejiro Evero's woeful defense instead.
Nobody should complain too much about that. But based on the musings of one Panthers team employee, fans should expect the same trend to continue early in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Inevitably, that would take Tetairoa McMillan off their shortlist of possibilities at No. 8 overall.
McMillan has generated interest from the Panthers this offseason. He visited the team privately, spending time with those in power to get a better feeling of how this potential relationship could work. The Arizona prospect is a dynamic weapon in the passing game who can make the ridiculous look simple. There are concerns about his top-end speed, but that didn't stop him from taking college football by storm over the last three seasons.
Carolina Panthers writer believes Dan Morgan will focus on defense over Tetairoa McMillan
Things will be more difficult in the pros, but McMillan has a lot of likable traits that can make a successful transition. Nothing should be completely dismissed. However, team writer Darin Gantt thought the Panthers would turn their attention to another explosive defender when push comes to shove.
Gantt thought the Panthers would probably wait until Day 2 or early on Day 3 for wideout help. He highlighted the long-term project and the desperate need to improve defensively as viable reasons behind his choice. Simply put, McMillan might be a luxury Carolina cannot afford right now in its current predicament.
"[Tetairoa] McMillan's really good, and probably ought to be in the conversation at No. 8. There's nothing wrong with imagining a young Mike Evans type, but the need for help on that defense is probably more acute. This was not a one-year project, which means you don't get to do everything in one offseason (or even two). But you also need to make sure you don't set a league record for points allowed again, either."Darin Gantt via Panthers.com
Morgan and his team are covering all bases. McMillan is arguably the best wideout in this class, so it's worth investigating further if all of their defensive targets in the top 10 are taken before they go on the clock. But looking at how the team has gone about its business this offseason, taking the gifted wideout at No. 8 seems unlikely.
The Panthers could find value a little lower down the pecking order rather than spending their first-round pick on McMillan. There are reports not many around the league view him as a top-10 player. Some pundits have the receiver dropping into the mid-20s. Morgan could weigh up moving back up in this scenario, although not picking until No. 57 makes this complicated.
It'll be interesting to see how Morgan approaches the draft. Neglecting the offensive positions entirely would be foolish, but the defense is taking priority above all else during his second offseason at the helm.
If that means McMillan slips through the net, so be it.