Jalen McMillan was often overshadowed in college, as he was relegated to the third wide receiver role at Washington behind fellow 2024 draftees Rome Odunze (Bears) and Ja'Lynn Polk (Patriots). The Tampa Bay Buccaneers still saw enough in him to burn a third-round draft choice with the goal of making him a long-term contributor.
With Mike Evans getting a bit long in the tooth and the depth behind Chris Godwin looking somewhat questionable, the Bucs needed a smooth playmaker like McMillan. Finding out where to play him would be a different endeavor, as front offices likely had differing opinions on his best pro role.
While some saw a slot receiver, Tampa sees a player fully capable of playing on the outside during his rookie year. After the success they had with Trey Palmer during his rookie campaign, McMillan seems to be the Buccaneers' next rookie success story who will be instantly pushed into the starting lineup.
In McMillan's 10 snaps during Tampa Bay's preseason win against the Cincinnati Bengals, he lined up out wide on seven of them. With the consistently excellent Godwin expected to move back to the slot full-time this season, McMillan taking to a starting role on the outside would be an exceptional stroke of luck.
Jalen McMillan lined up out wide on 7 of his 10 snaps on Sunday — good news for his potential to start early in three-WR sets with Chris Godwin expected to be back in a full-time slot role this season.
— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) August 12, 2024
Jalen McMillan could start at outside WR for the Buccaneers in his rookie season
While McMillan tallied just 559 yards and five touchdowns in his final year of college, he was competing for targets with Odunze, Polk, and Buccaneers teammate Devin Culp at tight end. The year prior, he pulled off a robust 1,000-yard season.
McMillan always had fairly solid speed off the line of scrimmage to go along with great route-running ability and above-average hands. The reason he fell as low as he did stemmed from his propensity to get outmuscled in press coverage at the line of scrimmage and his lack of great yards after catch skill.
Baker Mayfield and the Bucs offense will have one of the deepest wide receiver rooms in the league if McMillan is everything he is cracked up to be. Evans, Godwin, and McMillan could start, while backups like Palmer and former Giants receiver Sterling Shepard give Tampa Bay some extra depth in case of injuries.
McMillan won't be expected to carry the load offensively, but Mayfield will be looking his way quite often as a starting wide receiver in 11 personnel. Is there a better situation for a third-round wide receiver to end up in?