NFL Icon Steve Smith Sr.: Tetairoa McMillan 'Leaves A Lot Of Plays on the Field'

NFL legend Steve Smith Sr. has mixed feelings about a highly-regarded wide receiver prospect heading into the NFL draft.

Smith said on the J-Villains Podcast on Tuesday that Arizona's Tetairoa McMillan leaves much to be desired despite plenty of hype surrounding him.

"The T-Mac evaluation for me, in my humble opinion, is yeah he's a No. 1 ranked wide receiver, but he's not the No. 1 wide receiver," Smith said. "I think he leaves a lot of plays on the field. I don't think he has the ability to dominate like his size is. I think he's a jump ball guy, but I don't see his route tree being very elaborate."

There was plenty to like about McMillan during his time at Arizona. He had an outstanding three years, finishing off with a 2024 season that saw him record 1,319 receiving yards and eight touchdowns.

McMillan has NFL size at 6'5", 212 pounds, and combines it with solid speed, running a 4.48-second 40-yard dash in front of scouts on Monday.

Still, Smith sees some flaws in McMillan's game, and only time will tell if those flaws get exposed once he makes his NFL debut.

McMillan is widely projected to be a top-10 pick, including by Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department, which has him landing with the Carolina Panthers at No. 8.