While the ability of the Cowboys to pull themselves out of the morass of the 2024 NFL season remains a significant question, a more pleasant mental exercise for downtrodden fans is to examine where the team might land on adding players in 2025.
Especially when it comes to the 2025 NFL draft, which should feature ample options at both running back and wide receiver, two spots where depth is badly needed. While hometown hero Ashton Jeanty is a hot name linked to the Cowboys, keep an eye on the group of wide receivers entering the league next year.
ESPN certainly is. And with the Cowboys only mildly sold on the prospect of former third-round pick Jalen Tolbert being the answer at the No. 2 wide receiver spot–and with Brandin Cooks heading into free agency–ESPN is tagging Arizona star Tetairoa McMillan as the ideal bookend receiver to go with star CeeDee Lamb.
Cowboys Would Be ‘Perfect’ for Tetairoa McMillan
While the Arizona offense has been something of a disappointment this year, McMillan has not. He is leading the Big 12 with 982 yards receiving in eight games, coming off a 10-catch, 202-yard performance against West Virginia last week.
McMillan is a junior who has amassed 3,086 yards in 33 collegiate games. He considered leaving the Wildcats this offseason, and entered the transfer portal, but both he and quarterback Noah Fifita opted to return.
One problem for the Cowboys might prove to be the opportunity to pick McMillan. While other receiving prospects (Luther Burden, Isaiah Bond, Emeka Egbuka) remain in the running to be the top receiver off the board in next year’s draft, none of those players are having great years. McMillan has, meanwhile, moved to the No. 2 overall spot on the Pro Football Focus draft Big Board.
ESPN draft guru Matt Miller, in an article titled, “2025 NFL draft: Team fits for 10 college football prospects,” wrote this week that McMillan was a “perfect” fit for the Cowboys.
“Dallas is in desperate need of more options in the passing game, and McMillan’s ability to win jump balls with his great length would work beautifully alongside CeeDee Lamb,” he noted.
“McMillan’s 6-foot-5, 212-pound frame makes him dynamic on 50-50 balls in both the red zone and the open field, and he has shown enough speed after the catch to be productive on screens and short routes where he has room to run post-catch. The Cowboys must expand their passing game, and McMillan’s size and big-play production would prevent defenses from overfocusing on Lamb.”
