The completing piece of the Washington Huskies’ three-headed monster at WR, where does Jalen McMillan rank in the 2024 NFL Draft with his scouting report? Here’s the rundown on McMillan’s skill set and how he projects to the professional game.
Jalen McMillan Draft Profile and Measurements
- Height: 6’1″
- Weight: 192 pounds
- Position: Wide Receiver
- School: Washington
- Current Year: Redshirt Junior
McMillan has been vaguely on the NFL radar since he joined the Huskies as a highly-rated four-star recruit in the 2020 cycle. McMillan was a respected speed threat coming out of high school, with a documented 4.53 40-yard dash and a 10.67 100-meter dash time.
It only took one year for McMillan to be heavily integrated into Washington’s attack, and in 2022, with the introduction of Kalen DeBoer’s scheme, McMillan emerged with 79 catches for 1,098 yards and nine touchdowns.
Jalen McMillan, @UW_Football WR, through three games:
🟣 16 RECs
🟣 308 yards
🟣 3 TDs pic.twitter.com/J1Abq9bKCs— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) September 22, 2022
Unfortunately, injuries marred what could’ve been an even more productive 2023 campaign alongside Rome Odunze and Ja’Lynn Polk, but McMillan still managed to rack up 39 catches for 526 yards and four scores in his redshirt junior season.
Jalen McMillan Scouting Report
Strengths
- Lean, streamlined athlete with great baseline speed and explosiveness.
- Has the speed to threaten vertically and manipulate coverage cushions at stems.
- Agile and fluid RAC receiver who can flow upfield and use his lateral freedom to create.
- With his spatial awareness and angle IQ, knows how to press into stems as a separator.
- Can actively adjust spatial relationships with smooth, precise throttle control on routes.
- Diverse route runner with sharp hinge flexibility and angle freedom on in-breakers.
- Twitched-up mover in his lower body, with the foot speed to offset with quick releases.
- Natural hands catcher who can corral passes with diamond technique and quickly reset.
- Has shown he can secure tough catches amidst contact and maintain control.
- Tough receiver who can seamlessly gather passes over the middle in stride.
- Flashes decent targeted physicality, breaking off two-hand jams with quick hand swipes.
- Able to effectively track the ball in the deep third and extend beyond his frame for plays.
- Adept contortionist who can use late adjustments to maintain control of contested balls.
- Has the instincts to rotate his base and keep his feet in-bounds on boundary catches.
- Has the versatility to play on the boundary, in the slot, or off motions.
Weaknesses
- Frame is thinner and leaner than average, which correlates with average play strength.
- While speed and explosiveness are exceptional, traits might be a notch below elite tier.
- Although build-up vertical speed is deadly, doesn’t have elite one-step burst upfield.
- At times, plant-and-drive technique and stopping footwork can be more efficient.
- Can be prone to focus drops when going low and extending beyond his frame.
- Sometimes lacks ideal sturdiness as a contested catch threat against direct physicality.
- Lacks great contact balance after the catch and often goes down on first contact.
- Is a willing blocker but lacks high-end play strength and physicality with his frame.
- Dealt with injuries across the 2023 season and struggled to stay 100%.
Current Draft Projection and Summary
On my 2024 NFL Draft board, Jalen McMillan grades out as a top-100 prospect and a worthy selection in the mid-to-late Day 2 range. Though he doesn’t rate as highly as his teammates Odunze and Polk, he’s still a potential NFL starter and a strong rotational WR.
At around 6’1″, 192 pounds, McMillan is a lean receiver with an exceptional athletic foundation. While he might not be the highest-mass target, he’s a gliding athlete with great vertical speed, great agility and fluidity, and a large enough catch radius to work beyond his frame.
MORE: 2024 NFL Draft Big Board
Ultimately, McMillan’s profile is best in the high-floor departments. NFL wideouts need to be able to separate and convert at the catch point, and McMillan does both at a high level. He’s a technician as a route runner with a nuanced route tree, exceptional spatial instincts and throttle control, and sharp cutting ability.
Meanwhile, at the catch point, McMillan has great body control, instincts, and hand technique, which he can use to convert on the opportunities he’s given.
McMillan doesn’t do incredibly well against physicality, and he can be prone to focus drops. But with his speed, route running ability, usage versatility, and generally reliable hands, he profiles as a quality movement-Z receiver at the NFL level, with the upside of a solid starter.
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