Throughout training camp, rookie Jalen McMillan has become a Baker Mayfield-friendly target with his effectiveness out of breaks. The smooth route runner has put on an impressive performance on the practice field, garnering praise from Head Coach Todd Bowles.
"He's another one having a great camp," noted Bowles. "He's a good football player. Since he's come in, he's made every play since day one. He's very intelligent. He wants to be good, he wants to learn. The receiving group loves him, and he continues to get better and better. I like where he's at."
McMillan is gradually gaining chemistry with Mayfield as the two work on cadence and attention to detail. He's in his first NFL camp after the Bucs selected the Washington receiver with the second of two third-round picks back in April. He missed four games in 2023 due to a left knee injury but during his 2022 campaign, McMillan caught a career-high 79 passes for 1,098 yards and nine scores. That season, he led the team in receptions and receiving touchdowns, earning All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention. He primarily worked out of the slot for the Huskies in Ryan Grubb's spread scheme. McMillan can stretch the field vertically and is adept on choice and option routes. He can bait defenders with fakes and possesses long-striding speed to generate separation at the stem.
"Quarterbacks and receivers, the more reps you get, the more you trust them – the more you see their body language coming in and out of cuts and understanding how they're moving around," noted Mayfield. "He's going to make plays when the ball is in the air, and that's one thing that I'm continuing to learn – really, just give him a chance. He might not be the biggest guy, but he's going to go up and highpoint the ball and that's a natural skill that he has. My trust is going to continue to grow as long as he keeps doing the right things, and he is. I think he's got the right attitude. He brings a lot of juice to that room. I think him and Sterling [Shepard] [are] a couple of little mighty mouses running out there, screaming at people and talking trash. It brings energy. Chris [Godwin] and Mike [Evans] are pro's pros. They've been doing it for so long at such a high level that sometimes it's hard for them to get excited over a touchdown, especially in practice. So, it's good to see Jalen and those guys bring juice to it. For Jalen to enjoy football, bring a little pep to it, and just continue to get better and work on his craft is very important."
During camp, McMillan has displayed the ability to not only climb the ladder to haul in catches, but physicality over the middle of the field. In the competition for the third receiver spot behind Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, McMillan continues to attract attention for his production between the hashes.
