Born Hawaiian, Tetairoa McMillan grew up in Southern California where he was a finalist for the state Gatorade Football Player of the Year. He was a five-star recruit who committed to the University of Oregon and then switched to the University of Arizona. Joining the Wildcats again paired him with his high school quarterback Noah Fifita who had already committed to the school and was a part of the reason for McMillan’s change from Oregon.
McMillan started as a freshman while the Wildcats looked for him to become an immediate game-changer using his height and receiving skills with rare speed for his size. He took over the receivers in his breakout sophomore season when his 90 catches were double that of any other Arizona receiver.
The Wildcats went 10-3 that season but then head coach Jedd Fisch left to lead Washington. For 2024, McMillan remained while the rebuilding Wildcats only managed a 4-8 record. He continued to double the production of any other receiver and still turned in a fine 1,319-yard season. He declared for the NFL draft and leaves Arizona as one of the top receivers in school history, including No. 1 with 3,423 receiving yards.
