Was Tetairoa McMillan on 49ers' Radar in 2025 NFL Draft? HC Shanahan Talks Panthers WR

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan has plenty of kind words to say about Carolina Panthers rookie wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan leading into their teams' upcoming Monday Night Football matchup, and he even noted that the ex-Arizona star caught his eye "big time" leading up to last April's draft, per remarks made on Thursday (h/t ESPN's Adam Schefter).

The Panthers took McMillan eighth overall, three spots ahead of the 49ers, who selected Georgia defensive end Mykel Williams.

McMillan has been exceptional this year, leading Carolina with 54 catches, 748 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns. He also just had his best game of the year with eight receptions for 130 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Panthers to a 30-27 overtime road win over the Atlanta Falcons.

▶️ Full Panthers-Falcons Recap

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Thanks in part to McMillan's efforts, the 6-5 Panthers have already eclipsed their 2024 win total (five) and are firmly in the race for the NFC South, just one half-game back of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Monday will feature a tough matchup against the favored 7-4 49ers, but it's possible McMillan can stay hot as the Panthers look to make the postseason for the first time since 2017.

Kickoff on Monday will be at 8:15 p.m. ET from Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.