Rookie Profile: Jalen McMillan, Wide Receiver, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
This is the Rookie Profile for Jalen McMillan. Hailing from Fresno, California, McMillan attended the University of Washington after graduating from San Joaquin Memorial High School. He was rated as a 4-star recruit by ESPN and 247 Sports and was ranked as the #6 wide receiver in the 2020 recruiting class.
During his freshman year in the shortened 2020 season, he played only three games and failed to make an impact, finishing the year with just one catch for 16 yards. As a result, McMillan ended up using his red shirt.
For the 2021 season, he displayed the potential of his prospect profile by leading the Huskies in receiving yards. He finished the season with 39 catches, 470 yards, and 3 touchdowns.
In 2022, Jalen had an outstanding season. He was the leading player in receptions and touchdowns for the Huskies, and his performance caught the attention of NFL scouts. Throughout the season, he scored 9 touchdowns and had 79 receptions for 1,080 yards.
At the beginning of 2023, he had a great start with 20 catches and 311 yards through 2 1/2 games. However, he injured his knee while playing against Michigan State and did not catch another ball until over two months later when he played against rival Washington State. Despite the knee injury, he managed to finish the season with a respectable 45 catches, 559 yards, and 5 touchdowns.
Jalen McMillan attended the NFL Combine and solidified his stock as a day 2 wide receiver by posting an 8.67 RAS. McMillan was drafted in the 3rd round, pick #92 by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Measurables
Draft Capital & Landing Spot
Draft Capital- Round 3 Pick 92
- Given the injury issues he dealt with last season, it’s about what we expected from Jalen McMillan that a team decided to select him on day 2 of the NFL draft, which should be considered a good thing. While the odds of a third-round rookie WR hitting are not the best, as evidenced by the 21% last decade, it gives us hope that McMillan can become a productive NFL player.
Landing Spot- Tampa Bay
- While it may not sound appealing to be stuck behind Mike Evans and Chris Godwin in year 1, the depth chart outside of those two is pretty barren, and McMillan can make an impact in three WR sets from day 1. The coaching staff has already talked about moving Godwin inside to the slot, which frees up a path for McMillan to jump into an NFL contributor as soon as week 1. With Chris Godwin expected to become a free agent in 2025, there is potential for Jalen McMillan to take on a significant role next season.
Team Depth Chart
Expected Role: Slot Wide Receiver
Depth Chart via Fantasy Pros
Fantasy Impact
Jalen McMillan enters the NFL as the likely third wide receiver in a Baker Mayfield offense. It gets interesting to see how McMillan will be deployed as a rookie, given the talk from coach Todd Bowles about wanting to move Godwin back into the slot. I view McMillan more as a long-term fantasy play, and the path to that may open up sooner rather than later, as Chris Godwin is expected to be a free agent in 2025. He will likely pop in year one, but he will not be consistent enough to trust that I managed leagues. As he grows and develops as an NFL player, his production and consistency should develop.
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Check out our 2024 Rookie Rankings Page for a full breakdown of this rookie class.
