Tetairoa McMillan being compared to Drake London has been the most popular 'NFL comparison' leading into the 2025 NFL Draft—and it couldn't be more wrong.
After seeing London torch them for 187 yards and two touchdowns in Week 18, the Carolina Panthers felt they needed to get a "similar" target for Bryce Young. So, they drafted Tet McMillan with the same pick the Falcons took London with in 2022, No. 8.
While the comparison might be fair when comparing the younger's top moments, analysts (and now Panthers fans) are missing one important piece to the puzzle.
Tet McMillan, Drake London comparison is offensive to London
Fire and passion are the most overlooked parts of any upcoming prospect. The game of football comes down to physicality and one player wanting it more than their opponent. Nothing shows that more than a simple wide receiver vs. cornerback matchup.
This is what makes Drake London such a great player: he wants it more than the guy across from him. You often see him getting in the faces of defensive backs after a big catch. He fires everyone up with the way he plays.
General Manager Terry Fontenot said he loved London's finishing attitude; he never ran out of bounds, he never passed up a chance to gain that extra yard, and, most importantly, he said there is nothing he hates more than defensive backs.
Then you have Tet McMillan, a prospect that has had his passion and effort questioned. There was a video from a few years back of him saying he doesn't watch film outside of meetings.
I will say, I think that video was overblown and taken completely out of context.
Nevertheless, the difference in on-field passion is why the Panthers are wrong in thinking they landed their Drake London. With the playing style of these two, that passion and want become exponentially more important.
With all that being said, the talent and physical tools are obvious. You can't like the makeup of one of these two top-ten picks and not the other. McMillan may turn into a fine player, but the Falcons receiver's drive to play hard and finish every play will always separate him.