The Seattle Seahawks have made dramatic changes to their roster in just one offseason, shifting from an established playoff contender to a team in transition. Geno Smith, DK Metcalf, and franchise icon Tyler Lockett are all gone, and a new era led by Sam Darnold and Cooper Kupp is beginning in Seattle.
However, with one Metcalf replacement still pending, the Seahawks’ are predicted to add Arizona Wildcats’ Tetairoa McMillan to their receiver room in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Seattle Seahawks Projected To Select Tetairoa McMillan in Round 1 of 2025 NFL Draft
Losing both Lockett and Metcalf was a huge blow to an offense that finished the 2024 season ranked 20th in PFSN’s Offense+ metric. The ranking was despite Smith throwing for the fourth-most passing yards in the league (4,320) and having plenty of weapons to work with.
However, Seattle has been quick to reload in free agency. The emergence of Jaxon Smith-Njigba gives them a trusted starting option, and adding Cooper Kupp as a receiver should help in the short term.
Still, passing on a receiver like McMillan at No. 18 would be a mistake, believes Oliver Hodgkinson of College Sports Network. In his latest mock draft, he predicts them pulling the trigger on the big-bodied pass-catcher if he’s available at No. 18.
“Yes, I know the Seattle Seahawks just landed Cooper Kupp. Yes, I know they have Jaxon Smith-Njigba. That shouldn’t preclude them from pulling the trigger on Tetairoa McMillan if he’s still kicking around past midway through Day 1.
“The Arizona Wildcats wide receiver quietly put together a 1,319-yard campaign in the midst of a difficult season for the program, and his size and eye-popping catch ability would give Sam Darnold a dangerous outlet.”
McMillan, an imposing 6’5″ receiver, pairs his size with incredible hand-eye coordination, especially in tough, contested catches. Even in traffic, his ability to snag the football and take off after makes him a complete offensive weapon.
His college production also backs up his potential. He was dominant across three seasons at Arizona, posting:
- 39 catches, 702 yards, and eight touchdowns as a freshman
- 174 catches, 2,721 yards, and 18 touchdowns combined in his sophomore and junior seasons
Tetairoa McMillan literally runs past coverage but has a QB with a high school lvl 💪arm.
He still had 3500 yards receiving & 26 touchdowns. pic.twitter.com/V1S9dchq9h
— ZeeBee (@BellinoZee) March 19, 2025
If McMillan backs up this production in the NFL, he would be a steal for the Seahawks, whose top priority is building the right pieces around Darnold so that he can replicate the success he had with the Minnesota Vikings. A trio of Kupp, McMillan, and Smith-Njigba could make for a potent receiving corps.
However, a big concern remains the offensive line, which ranked among the two worst in the league, according to PFSN’s OL+ metric. That’s a stark contrast to Minnesota, which had the league’s best protection in 2024.
That’s why they are predicted to select Ohio State lineman Josh Simmons in PFSN’s latest mock draft by Marco Enriquez.
“The Seattle Seahawks need to find ways to protect Sam Darnold and fast. They’ve been one of the most active teams this offseason, moving on from both Geno Smith and DK Metcalf. Bringing in Darnold could work for Seattle, but he has historically struggled under pressure.
“Josh Simmons has the refined technique and physicality to be a long-term solution. He’s effective in both run-blocking and pass protection, and his quick feet and athleticism make him an ideal fit for Seattle’s offense.
“The only reason Simmons isn’t a consensus top-10 pick is his season-ending knee injury, which could delay his NFL debut.”
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Meanwhile, Enriquez projects McMillan to come off the board at No. 8 overall to the Carolina Panthers.
“For Panthers fans hoping to land Tee Higgins, they get the next best thing in McMillan.
“Many will talk about the 4.48-second 40-yard-dash time but it shouldn’t scare you and it won’t scare NFL general managers.”