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Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
WATCH: Panthers WR Tetairoa McMillan makes spectacular catch on pass from QB Bryce Young
Carolina Panthers wideout Tetairoa McMillan made a statement to begin the second week of training camp. After starting cornerback Mike Jackson got the better of him on Saturday, McMillan broke out the tools that made him 2025's eighth overall pick this morning. The rookie receiver, in the first padded practice of the summer, tracked down a deep ball from quarterback Bryce Young and made a spectacular catch against the veteran defender. Take a look . . . Head coach Dave Canales talked about the grab after the session, and was asked if McMillan's speed is shining through. "He plays fast," Canales replied. "That was kinda going back to his film from Arizona. His play speed is what you look at. And yes, we take into consideration what the 40 time looks like. He ran a 4.5. He's fast. But he's a tall guy. And a lot of times, those guys, their stride builds up as they get going—in particular when he's running across the field. He can pretty much separate and run away from anybody, regardless of what the 40 time says." Young also commented on McMillan's sparkling reception. "Yeah, that was a great job of him going and tracking the ball," Young told reporters. "It was great coverage, and that's the league. It's gonna be a lot of great corners out there, a lot of contested catches. It was a great job by T-Mac understanding leverage, fighting pressure with pressure, fading out at the last moment." McMillan is projected to be the No. 1 target for Young and the Panthers offense this season. The 2024 consensus All-American amassed 3,423 receiving yards and 26 touchdowns over his three years at the University of article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers training camp: Tetairoa McMillan makes insane catch on Monday
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Panthers 2025 training camp tracker: Top takeaways and observations from Day 5
The Carolina Panthers, for the first time this summer, have thrown on the pads. Here are the top takeaways and observations from Monday's (partially heated) outing of training camp . . . Activated Before the start of practice, the Panthers officially activated defensive lineman Bobby Brown III and punter Sam Martin from the active/non-football injury list. Both Brown and Martin were dealing with minor hamstring injuries. They are now cleared to return to the field. T-Mac hits back Rookie wideout Tetairoa McMillan was bested by starting cornerback Mike Jackson during one-on-one drills at Saturday's session. But the eighth overall pick got his lick back on the veteran this morning . . . Head coach Dave Canales talked about McMillan's breakaway speed. "He plays fast," Canales told reporters. "That was kinda going back to his film from Arizona. His play speed is what you look at. And yes, we take into consideration what the 40 time looks like. He ran a 4.5. He's fast. But he's a tall guy. And a lot of times, those guys, their stride builds up as they get going—in particular when he's running across the field. He can pretty much separate and run away from anybody, regardless of what the 40 time says." Quarterback Bryce Young then talked about McMillan's spectacular catch. "Yeah, that was a great job of him going and tracking the ball," Young stated. "It was great coverage, and that's the league. It's gonna be a lot of great corners out there, a lot of contested catches. It was a great job by T-Mac understanding leverage, fighting pressure with pressure, fading out at the last moment." McMillan also notched a few more impressive grabs, putting a stamp on what was his best showing of the summer. Still hunting McMillan wasn't the only receiver who shined on Monday. Veteran Hunter Renfrow also turned heads, continuing his standout offseason with another strong day. Renfrow, however, knows his journey to the initial 53-man roster is far from over. The former Pro Bowler praised his fellow wideouts. "We have a bunch of different personalities, bunch of different ages. But amazing," he said. "I think we have a really good group, I think we have a really talented group. It's the deepest I've ever been around. We have seven or eight guys that can comfortably go out there and play and a lot of young guys that are proving they can. "And so, it just pushes you. It pushes you every day. I think the Bible talks about iron sharpening iron—and that's what it is. And hopefully, we can do that every day and then the other people we have out there can see that and be inspired from that and make every day the best we can." Canales, who lauded Renfrow for his work again on Monday, did not rule out using the 29-year-old as a returner moving forward. Top observationsThis article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers 2025 training camp tracker: Top takeaways from Day 5
New York Times
10-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Where do Sam Leavitt, Rocco Becht rank? The 25 best players in the Big 12 in 2025
The Big 12 produced its largest total of NFL Draft picks since 2005 this past April. Heisman trophy winner Travis Hunter from Colorado and Arizona receiver Tetairoa McMillan were the two first-round picks among 13 players selected on the first two days of the draft. There were 18 players selected in rounds four through seven. Advertisement How many draft picks will the Big 12 produce in 2026? The Athletic's Dane Brugler projected only two first-round selections for the league in his first mock draft in April. Still, this is a conference loaded with intriguing players and teams. Let's dive into the best of the best. The 6-foot-6, 302-pound junior is widely considered to be the best run-blocking right tackle in college football, earning second-team All-America honors last season from the Associated Press. The former four-star recruit from Spanish Fork, Utah, has started 25 games in his college career. Brugler lists Fano as a top-five pick. Tyson, a redshirt junior from Texas, transferred from Colorado last season and earned third-team All-America honors from the AP and won the Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year award. He caught 75 passes for 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns before getting hurt in the second half of the team's final regular-season game and missing the Big 12 Championship Game and College Football Playoff. The 6-2, 210-pound redshirt sophomore transferred from Michigan State last season and earned the Big 12 Freshman of the Year award. The former four-star recruit from Oregon ranked 23rd nationally in passing efficiency, completing 61.7 percent of his 350 attempts for 2,885 yards, 24 touchdowns and six interceptions. He also ran for 443 yards and five scores in leading the Sun Devils to the Big 12 championship. SAM LEAVITT FOR 6️⃣#Big12FB | 📺 ABC — Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) December 7, 2024 The 6-1, 335-pound senior known as 'The Godfather' earned first-team All-Big 12 honors last season. The former three-star recruit from Cincinnati's Colerain High School produced 26 tackles, including five for loss and 3 1/2 sacks, despite being sidelined with blood clots for three months prior to the start of the season. Advertisement The former three-star quarterback recruit from Wichita Falls, Texas, returned home and switched sides of the ball after spending one season at Virginia. Rodriguez, now a senior, led the Big 12 in tackles last season (127) and had 10 1/2 for loss and five sacks to earn first-team all-conference honors. He also forced three fumbles and had one interception. The 6-2, 224-pound redshirt junior from Jacksonville, Fla., went from being a first-team junior college All-American at Northeast (Miss.) Community College to earning first-team All-Big 12 honors last season. Thomas racked up 114 tackles, including seven for loss and 2 1/2 sacks last season. He will have a new running mate next to him at inside linebacker this fall: Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year Travion Barnes. The former blue-chip recruit — known as the 100 Yard Landlord on social media — is finally thriving at his third college program. The one-time Texas Longhorn and USC Trojan was a first-team All-Big 12 pick last season, tallying 85 tackles, two interceptions and five pass breakups. The 6-1, 218-pound redshirt senior and former walk-on from Cedar Park, Texas, earned first-team All-Big 12 honors and second-team All-America honors (FWAA) as a return man last season. Cameron also led the Bears with 52 receptions — 43 of which went for first downs — for 754 yards and 10 touchdowns. UNREAL SIDELINE CATCH ‼️ After review, Josh Cameron's second TD catch of the day stands and @BUFootball has brought this one within one score in the fourth quarter 🍿#Big12FB | 📺 FS1 — Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) September 28, 2024 Romaine, a former three-star recruit from Hillsboro, Mo., was a second-team All-Big 12 selection last season when he recorded 96 tackles, 7 1/2 TFLs, two sacks and three forced fumbles. The former five-star prospect from Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy was a Freshman All-American in 2024 as the Buffaloes starting left tackle. He graded out the best among all true freshman offensive tackles in pass protection with at least 100 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. Advertisement The 6-1, 205-pound former three-star recruit from Florida led the Cyclones to a school-record 11 wins last season, completing 59.4 percent of his passes for 3,505 yards, 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He also ran for 318 yards and eight touchdowns in leading Iowa State to the Big 12 Championship Game. Royer transferred home to Cincinnati after three seasons at Ohio State and was a first-team All-Big 12 pick after catching 50 passes — breaking Travis Kelce's single-season school record — for 521 yards and three touchdowns. The 6-2, 186-pound sixth-year senior and former four-star recruit out of Alexandria, La., earned second-team All-Big 12 honors in 2024. He tallied 67 tackles, one forced fumble, one blocked kick and three interceptions over 12 starts. The 6-4, 325-pound senior from Mobile, Ala., earned second-team All-Big 12 honors last season at UCF before landing at his third college program in the offseason. The former top-100 prospect who originally signed with Auburn had 9 1/2 tackles for loss and 27 QB pressures, second among interior linemen in the Big 12 according to Pro Football Focus. Williams, a former three-star prospect from Florida, intercepted four passes last season en route to earning second-team all-conference honors. The 6-5, 235-pound redshirt junior and former three-star recruit from South Jordan, Utah, led the Big 12 with 14 1/2 tackles for loss last season. He started nine games and tallied 70 tackles, four pass breakups, three interceptions and one forced fumble. The former three-star recruit from Franklin, Texas, was one of eight running backs in the league to top the 1,000-yard mark last season. Washington is the only one back in 2025. He averaged 5.9 yards per carry and scored 12 rushing touchdowns on 175 carries. Advertisement The 6-4, 294-pound redshirt senior from Alexandria, Va., was the American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year last season at UTSA. He led the conference in sacks (10 1/2) and tackles for loss (17). The former Florida Gator returned home to Texas last season and starred as the No. 2 receiver for the Red Raiders. He caught 60 passes for 877 yards and six touchdowns. Only Tyson at Arizona State had more receiving yards among returning Big 12 players. The 6-3, 250-pound senior and former top-100 recruit from Irvine, Calif., joined the Red Raiders in mid-April after making 16 starts over 33 games in his three-year career at Stanford. His numbers from last season: 39 QB pressures, 31 tackles, eight TFLs, seven sacks and five forced fumbles. The dangerous dual-threat and former four-star recruit threw for 2,712 yards, ran for 605 yards and totaled 32 touchdowns last season — leading the Wildcats to nine wins for the second year in a row. The last hurdle for Johnson is improving as a passer. He ranked ninth in the Big 12 in efficiency last season, completing 58.3 percent of 372 attempts and throwing 10 interceptions. The 6-2, 180-pound junior from Colleyville, Texas, transferred from Oklahoma State last season and played more defensive snaps (840) than anyone for the Buffaloes. He tallied 62 tackles, nine pass breakups and three interceptions while starting opposite Heisman winner Travis Hunter. The 6-4, 335-pound former three-star recruit from Kansas City, Mo., is a candidate to break out as a senior after recording 24 tackles, including 4 1/2 for loss, on 367 snaps last season. This is a strong year for tight ends in the league. Carter, a 6-2, 245-pound junior, was a first-team All-Sun Belt selection last season at Louisiana. He caught 48 passes for 689 yards and four touchdowns. Advertisement The 6-4, 220-pound redshirt senior from Lubbock, Texas, took over as the starter in the third game of the 2024 season and finished second in the league in passing efficiency. He completed 62.2 percent of his 368 attempts for 3,071 yards, 28 touchdowns and eight interceptions. 26. Keanu Tanuvasa, DL, Utah 27. Josh Hoover, QB, TCU 28. Devon Dampier, QB, Utah 29. Bryce Foster, C, Kansas 30. Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah 31. Dylan Edwards, RB, Kansas State 32. Jahiem White, RB, West Virginia 33. Tanner Koziol, TE, Houston 34. Michael Coats Jr., CB, West Virginia 35. Dean Miller, DL, Kansas (Photo of Sam Leavitt: Michael Chow / The Rep via Imagn Images)
New York Times
09-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Panthers survey results: More confidence, more wins? Fans optimistic for 2025
Nothing says summer quite like backyard barbecues, blockbuster movies and … the annual Carolina Panthers fan survey. This marks the sixth year in which The Athletic has taken the temperature of Panthers fans, a stretch nearly as long as the franchise's seven-year playoff drought. And while fans aren't necessarily ready to start booking rooms in Santa Clara, Calif. — site of this season's Super Bowl, just as it was in 2015 when the Panthers lost to the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50 — there was a sense of guarded optimism among the 1,100 respondents (precisely) who took part in the 16-question survey. Advertisement Fans demonstrated at least some level of confidence in both head coach Dave Canales and quarterback Bryce Young, who looked a lot more like 'Bama Bryce' last season after returning in late October from a five-week benching. Survey participants also were bullish about rookie wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, whom the Panthers drafted with the No. 8 pick instead of a defensive player. The defense, which finished last in the league in 2024, remains a point of concern among fans. As vacation season rolls on, let's get to the results. Survey says … Much like Pete Carroll, his mentor in Seattle, Canales has a relentlessly upbeat personality he managed to maintain through a 1-7 start in 2024 that included his decision to sit Young after two dismal showings to start the season. Canales, whose work with quarterbacks Geno Smith and Baker Mayfield helped get him the job in Charlotte, knew he would have to work to repair his relationship with Young after the benching. The two seem to be in a better place. And fans are feeling better about Canales. Only 1.6 percent of respondents said they're not optimistic about him at all, compared to 10.6 percent a year ago. It took Canales a couple of months before he was comfortable anointing Young as the starter for the remainder of the season. Then after Young's five-touchdown performance in a Week 18 overtime win at Atlanta, Canales told reporters Young was 'our guy' moving forward. Nearly half of respondents said they're mostly confident that Young will be the Panthers' quarterback of the future, with a third taking more of a neutral stance on the No. 1 pick from 2023. About 12 percent of participants are very confident in Young moving forward. Advertisement Hubbard surpassed the 1,000-yard rushing mark in 2024 for the first time in his career while becoming the first Panthers player to do so since Christian McCaffrey in 2019. Hubbard had a shot at notching one of the top three rushing seasons in franchise history before missing the final two games due to a calf injury. But Hubbard still finished with 1,195 yards, which is in the range of what most fans are forecasting for him again. The Panthers rewarded Hubbard with a new contract in the middle of his breakthrough season. Several months later, they did the same for Horn after the 2021 first-round pick from South Carolina stayed healthy, played in a career-high 15 games and made his first Pro Bowl. Horn's four-year, $100 million extension briefly made him the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history before Derek Stingley signed a contract with a $30 million average annual value. Only about 11 percent of fans said they didn't like Horn's mega-deal, although nearly 46 percent indicated they would have to wait and see how things play out. Horn's health — he missed 29 of 51 games over his first three seasons due to injury — presumably played a role in those cautious responses. It would have been interesting to see the results to this one had fans been polled immediately after the draft, when GM Dan Morgan took McMillan over Georgia edge rusher Jalon Walker, a popular pick for the Panthers among mock drafters. There's no doubt the defense needed help — which defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero received the second night of the draft. But fans were overwhelmingly positive about McMillan, the former Arizona standout who had the benefit of working out with Young before the draft. Morgan doubled down with a pair of SEC edge rushers on Friday night during draft weekend, snagging Nic Scourton in the second round and adding Princely Umanmielen in the third. Following the release of Jadeveon Clowney in May, respondents expect Scourton and Umanmielen to make the biggest impact among the Panthers' draft picks not named McMillan. Interestingly, fans believe Jimmy Horn also can make a splash after the Colorado receiver was drafted in the sixth round with the 208th pick. Horn will have an opportunity to win one of the return jobs in training camp. When you give up the most points in a season in NFL history and become just the third team to allow 3,000 rushing yards, people have concerns. Young's development also drew a sizable chunk of votes. Respondents surprisingly showed little worry over a kicking game that will feature a new punter (Sam Martin) and kicker (Ryan Fitzgerald, Matthew Wright or someone not yet on the roster). Advertisement Among the 1,095 respondents who answered this question, 991 expect Young to post his first 3,000-yard passing season in his third year. More than 450 fans believe Young will finish somewhere in the 3,200- to 3,499-yard range. It helps that Young again will have a competent offensive line to play behind. A year after rebuilding the aforementioned offensive line, Morgan turned his attention to the defensive front. Though the Panthers missed out on Milton Williams in free agency, they bolstered their front seven with four free-agent acquisitions before adding Scourton, Umanmielen and Cam Jackson in the draft. Fans approved: A little more than 89 percent gave Morgan an A or B for his offseason work. The Panthers at least explored the idea of taking an offensive tackle high in the draft, understandable given that Morgan has contract decisions to make on both Taylor Moton and Ikem Ekwonu. Moton was as durable as any player over his first eight seasons, although some in the organization question whether his knees will hold up over another contract. Ekwonu has been a force in the run game, but needs to take another step as a pass blocker. A third of respondents believe Ekwonu should be the priority, and 27.4 percent believe Morgan should re-sign both tackles. McMillan edged out Xavier Legette for the top breakout candidate on offense. It's reasonable to think that McMillan's presence will benefit Legette, whose positive plays were offset by eight dropped passes as a rookie. Trailing the wideouts in the survey was Ja'Tavion Sanders, whose production dipped last year after the former Texas tight end sustained a neck injury against Kansas City in Week 12. Tre'von Moehrig is an interesting dude. He's self-taught in guitar and snowboarding, and an owner of exotic reptiles (which aren't making the move from Las Vegas with him). He also was the only free-agent acquisition (so far) in a remade safety room. As such, half of the survey participants expect him to be the team's most impactful addition. The Panthers improved from two wins in 2023 to five in Canales' first year. The majority of fans are eyeing a similar jump in Canales' second season, with more than 60 percent predicting 8-9 wins. Nearly 10 percent of respondents think the Panthers can win 10, which likely would send them to the postseason. Respondents weren't kind to Tepper in last year's survey, with 84.1 percent of them handing the team owner a failing grade. This year's question was worded a bit differently, and the inclusion of Canales, Morgan and Tilis might have contributed to a more positive response. But Tepper has avoided the negative headlines for more than a year and appears to have more trust in the football leadership than previously. Advertisement Ongoing construction at the Panthers' practice facility means fans won't be able to attend camp practices, including a joint session with the Cleveland Browns. Whether or not that sits poorly with fans, it won't keep the majority of respondents from attending a game. They're not booing. They're cheering for 'Luuuuuuke,' as Luke Kuechly received the nod over Cam Newton among survey participants. A strong case can be made for everyone on this list.
Fox News
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Panthers star Xavier Legette shows true grit helping with friend's ATV stuck in muddy water
With NFL training camp around the corner, players are finding ways to stay in shape and have fun before the grind of a new season begins. For Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette, that means enjoying the outdoors, even if it means helping a friend out in a muddy situation. Legette went viral for helping a friend get an ATV out of muddy water he believed the vehicle could get through. At first, Legette was trying to coach his friend out of the predicament, but when that didn't work, he jumped on to do things himself. Legette didn't hesitate a bit when he saw the situation getting even more sticky. However, the video clip ends with Legette and his friend trying together to pull the blue ATV out of the mud without showing the end result. Legette's wilderness adventures have been on full display since the South Carolina product entered the NFL as the Panthers' first-round selection last season. He went viral for numerous reasons, including his thick Southern accent that fans adore. He's also been seen riding horses on his farm, especially "Dolla Bill," which he gives a nod to with his touchdown celebration that mimics riding a horse. Legette had some great moments for the Panthers last season with 497 yards on 49 receptions and four touchdowns in his rookie year. He hopes to build off his rookie campaign with a Panthers team that added to its wide receivers room in the first round again, this time nabbing Tetairoa McMillan out of Arizona with the eighth overall pick in April. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
