Welcome Jalen McMillan

[BuccaNOLEer]

WR from Washington. Was overshadowed by Rome Odenze but held his own. Can easily contend for the third receiver spot after Evans and Godwin.

[Snake]

2020: Played in 3 games as a reserve (1-16-16.0 receiving; 2-14-7.0 rushing).

2021: Played in 11 games with 9 starts (39-470-12.1, 3 TDs).

2022: Honorable Mention All-Pac-12 Conference. Led the team with 79 receptions, 1,098 receiving yards (13.9 per), 9 receiving TDs. Played in all 13 games with 7 starts (1-2-2.0 rushing; 4-70-17.5 PR).

2023: Played in 11 games with 7 starts (45-559-12.4, 5 TDs receiving; 3-30-10.0 rushing; 5-13-2.6 PR). Missed time with a knee injury.

[Snake]

Overview
Slot target with good size and production over the last two seasons. McMillan is a long-striding field-stretcher who is at his best with momentum routes in a West Coast passing scheme. He lacks aggression and play strength and could labor against press or when faced with contested catches. McMillan has adequate build-up speed to create opportunities down the field but needs the ball on target. Teams will need to determine if McMillan was a product of the impressive Washington passing scheme, or if he's a stand-alone talent outside of UW.

Strengths
Slot target with good size and big hands.
Long strider who can create some space mid-route.
Able to con coverage out of phase with leverage and fakes.
Nice track and stack to maintain downfield positioning.
Run-blocks from the slot with willing engagement.

Weaknesses
Wasn't tested as much in Washington scheme, which provided him with favorable releases and swaths of open space.
Takes time to get his route speed cranked up.
Agitated and knocked out of rhythm by physical coverage.
Seems to be missing a "run down" gear to get under deep balls.
Focus and catch strength let him down on contested throws.

[Redrum]

Good to add a young WR to the pipeline with the potential to take Godwin's spot next year if they move on.

[real bucs fan]

He always impressed, he could very well be one of those target hog slots ala Christian Kirk. Think he contributes Day 1 and relegates Palmer to being more of a pure field stretcher as McMillan actually knows how to get open, catch the ball, and make plays once he has it after the catch.

[Miller4Prez64]

I’m glad we grabbed a mid round WR. The lack of talent behind Evans and Godwin was atrocious. Hopefully McMillan can contribute to the offense this year.

[Backside]

Really like this pick, and Licht certainly has a good track record with WR. Think he and Baker will click quickly.

[Cheb]

In researching McMillan, I struggled to find anything to get really excited about.

Is he big? No. Stocky? Hell no. Fast? Not at the combine. Great hands? Not really. A great blocker? Too small. A fantastic route technician? It you squint and pray, maybe. A clean injury history? Nope, missed games last year with a knee injury.

Well then why the fuck did we draft this guy?

Projection.

The season before last, when Jalen McMillan was fully healthy, he was neck-and-neck with his more heralded teammate Rome Odunze, who just went ninth overall to the Bears, as the best receiver on their team. He caught more balls and had more TDs than Odunze did in the same offense, and was a close second in yards.

In the three games Jalen had before he got injured this year, he caught 20 balls for over 300 yards with 3 TDs. Then he sprained his MCL against Michigan State and apparently reinjured it "multiple times" trying to come back early to help his team. Dude was out for six weeks, and when he got back, he was maybe a step slower than he was before, surprise surprise. But he was still spry enough to snag 9 balls for 131 yards in the Pac-12 Championship vs Oregon, and contribute 100+ yards and two buddies in two playoff games.

Jalen McMillan seems to be the kind of receiver that is greater than the sum of his parts. On paper and at first glance, he can look disappointing. But I think if/when he gets back to full form, he might just surprise us all. Me included.

[Kona]

Good to add a young WR to the pipeline with the potential to take Godwin's spot next year if they move on.

This is my thinking. Probably Godwins last year here unless he takes a huge discount moving forward. JMAC should come in as our WR3 immediately and move Palmer down to a more comfortable WR4.

[Noles1724]

Good to add a young WR to the pipeline with the potential to take Godwin's spot next year if they move on.

This is my thinking. Probably Godwins last year here unless he takes a huge discount moving forward. JMAC should come in as our WR3 immediately and move Palmer down to a more comfortable WR4.

I'm surprised he hasn't been traded

[Doctor]

Not everyone needs to be flipped. It's okay for players to finish their terms. IF JMac catches on quickly and is legit, yes, this could spell the end for Godwin's time here. Which I think is the low key plan.

If the right offer comes along, I'll listen. But I'm not thinning out our WRs just because. It's a long season.

[BuccaNOLEer]

This is my thinking. Probably Godwins last year here unless he takes a huge discount moving forward. JMAC should come in as our WR3 immediately and move Palmer down to a more comfortable WR4.

I'm surprised he hasn't been traded

If this team regresses and is playing poorly early on, he could very well be traded in season

[Jonny]

I was so badly hoping Bucs would draft Malik Washington in late rounds to fill a rock solid wr3 with ability to separate at ease, a cheaper version of Mcconkey and Pearsall. Very underwhelmed with this pick. We spent a mid round pick on a guy who doesn't come off as special in any category, including production.

[Grahamburn]

[Grahamburn]

This is my thinking. Probably Godwins last year here unless he takes a huge discount moving forward. JMAC should come in as our WR3 immediately and move Palmer down to a more comfortable WR4.

I'm surprised he hasn't been traded

We don’t typically operate that way, and it’s a bad year to try to trade a WR. Seems like 40 just got drafted.

[Snake]

I’m liking what I’m seeing. Great feet and being a smooth athlete are really important for NFL WRs and I think Jalen has both.

[Bootz]

I'm surprised he hasn't been traded

We don’t typically operate that way, and it’s a bad year to try to trade a WR. Seems like 40 just got drafted.

The Bills got a 2nd for a 30 year old who got labeled a "diva" and everyone knew they wanted no part of him.

Wasn't a bad year to trade a WR, we simply chose not to do so. Licht gets his ass handed to him on trades anyway so there's also that.

[Doctor]

Mankins, JPP, Gronk... draft day trades resulting in Wirfs, Vea, CD3, Whitehead, Cappa, Dean, Mike Edwards... now McMillin...

But go off king.

[Jonny]

Mankins, JPP, Gronk... draft day trades resulting in Wirfs, Vea, CD3, Whitehead, Cappa, Dean, Mike Edwards... now McMillin...

But go off king.

King? As in "we wuz kangz and queenz"? Racist!

[Barnzy]

Doesn't look like a bad pick. But can he do more than be a zone eater? A guy who knows how to sit in the soft parts of zones and move the chains? There is value to that but this specific sort of pick where he has a clear zone playstyle definitely signals that the Bucs don't want to pay Godwin. This guy is a poor mans Godwin without the strength and contested catch ability. The numbers are worry vs man coverage:



I almost feel like the Bucs should've double dipped on WR in this draft. It has been labelled the best WR draft in the last decade or two, maybe ever when it's all said and done. We chose a guy that was the 15-20th best WR in one of the best ever WR drafts. And nothing else.

When Godwin goes and we have a 32 year old near the end Evans, Palmer, McMallin, we're going to be HURTING at WR. We will be picking early at WR when we could've got another one in the later rounds in this draft to cover that off more. I think it was poor planning to not take another WR late.

When you look at the whole WR room the weakness overall beyond aging Evans are who guys who beat man coverage and consistently get open. Malik Washington was one that slipped to the late 6th round. He's small but elite production, numbers vs man coverage. Destroyed DB's 1v1 at the senior bowl. He would've been a great add opposite McMillan with a totally different skill set. I don't rate the depth beyond the 4th guy in the room now. Rakim and Thompkins are JAGS who wouldn't make many other rosters. If McMillan bombs and Godwin goes, WR will be the biggest need on the roster.

[Backside]

He went with #15

Goes well with Evans and Godwin

[Ken]

I was so badly hoping Bucs would draft Malik Washington in late rounds to fill a rock solid wr3 with ability to separate at ease, a cheaper version of Mcconkey and Pearsall. Very underwhelmed with this pick. We spent a mid round pick on a guy who doesn't come off as special in any category, including production.

I'm confused. He wasn't productive? Dude was a WR3 in an offense where one guy went top 10 and the other went top 40. By the way, when fully healthy in 2023... he led all 3 of those guys in catches and TDs and a close second to Odunze in yards.

What a weird take.

[Snake]

Doesn't look like a bad pick. But can he do more than be a zone eater? A guy who knows how to sit in the soft parts of zones and move the chains? There is value to that but this specific sort of pick where he has a clear zone playstyle definitely signals that the Bucs don't want to pay Godwin. This guy is a poor mans Godwin without the strength and contested catch ability. The numbers are worry vs man coverage:



I almost feel like the Bucs should've double dipped on WR in this draft. It has been labelled the best WR draft in the last decade or two, maybe ever when it's all said and done. We chose a guy that was the 15-20th best WR in one of the best ever WR drafts. And nothing else.

When Godwin goes and we have a 32 year old near the end Evans, Palmer, McMallin, we're going to be HURTING at WR. We will be picking early at WR when we could've got another one in the later rounds in this draft to cover that off more. I think it was poor planning to not take another WR late.

When you look at the whole WR room the weakness overall beyond aging Evans are who guys who beat man coverage and consistently get open. Malik Washington was one that slipped to the late 6th round. He's small but elite production, numbers vs man coverage. Destroyed DB's 1v1 at the senior bowl. He would've been a great add opposite McMillan with a totally different skill set. I don't rate the depth beyond the 4th guy in the room now. Rakim and Thompkins are JAGS who wouldn't make many other rosters. If McMillan bombs and Godwin goes, WR will be the biggest need on the roster.

Zone eater is definitely a good way to put it. It limits the upside, but I think he’s gonna have a place on NFL rosters if he stays healthy.

[Grahamburn]

https://www.pff.com/news/college-footba ... e-football

[Doctor]

We already have a HoF go to guy for man coverages.

[Grahamburn]

McMillan looked like he was on his way to a monster season if he didn’t sprain that knee.

[Doctor]

Ship Godwin to LAC for Mack.

[Bootz]

Ship Godwin to LAC for Mack.

Pushing Ramirez further out the door I see......

[BuccaNOLEer]

Ship Godwin to LAC for Mack.

Nah. I'd trade him to a contending team for a second or third rounder. We drafted him in the third round, so we'd be getting a full refund if we could pick up at least a third.

[Ken]

Ship Godwin to LAC for Mack.

Nah. I'd trade him to a contending team for a second or third rounder. We drafted him in the third round, so we'd be getting a full refund if we could pick up at least a third.

If we let him walk, we will probably get a 3rd/4th round compensatory pick.

[Four Verticals]

Nah. I'd trade him to a contending team for a second or third rounder. We drafted him in the third round, so we'd be getting a full refund if we could pick up at least a third.

If we let him walk, we will probably get a 3rd/4th round compensatory pick.

My main hesitancy on this is that I don't think the Bucs ever get much in comp picks. For whatever reason it is not how they choose to operate.

[Doctor]

Ship Godwin to LAC for Mack.

Pushing Ramirez further out the door I see......

Don't worry about my boy, he'll earn his snaps. See unlike most I'm perfectly fine developing a player. He gets in the field this year. Is a great rotational guy next year where people clamor for giving him more of a shot like Shaq in Den or DWhite here back in the day.

He gets a reasonable contract that he blows out of the water and becomes a fan favorite.

Relax.

[Bootz]

Pushing Ramirez further out the door I see......

Don't worry about my boy, he'll earn his snaps. See unlike most I'm perfectly fine developing a player. He gets in the field this year. Is a great rotational guy next year where people clamor for giving him more of a shot like Shaq in Den or DWhite here back in the day.

He gets a reasonable contract that he blows out of the water and becomes a fan favorite.

Relax.

I think you kinda purposely dodged the question I asked you in the roster prediction of who's spot he's taking. Answering that would taint your schick of being Uber positive and optimistic. So unless your plan is for the NFL to immediately adopt a 54 man roster, he ain't one of the best 53.

[Doctor]

I did address it. I think the versatility of our OL and DBs is going to let us carry more edges.

[mdb1958]

I want to see Markees Watts start laying out some people on other teams.